Vistara Airlines revealed on Sunday its decision to cut back flight operations by 10%, equivalent to approximately 25-30 flights per day. This move is aimed at addressing the crisis caused by a shortage of pilots and crew.
The airline, which is a collaboration between the Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, had initially planned to run over 300 flights daily during the summer schedule. However, groups of pilots called in sick, staging a protest against the demanding schedule and the revised salary structure, particularly in light of Vistara’s impending merger with Air India. These actions resulted in disruptions to flight operations.
The company announced its decision to carefully scale back operations by approximately 25-30 flights per day, constituting roughly a 10% reduction in capacity compared to previous levels. This adjustment aims to return to the same level of flight operations as of February 2024, providing much-needed resilience and flexibility in roster management.
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The airline clarified that the cancellations primarily affect the domestic network and are being implemented well in advance to minimize inconvenience to customers.
The company reassured that all impacted passengers have already been re-accommodated on alternative flights where necessary. Additionally, they noted an improvement in on-time performance.
Over the course of three days starting from April 1, the carrier had to cancel more than 125 flights. In response to this, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) requested the airline to provide a daily report detailing flight cancellations and delays.
Vistara CEO Vinod Kannan expressed optimism, stating that the airline aims to stabilize its operations before May. He also mentioned that over 98% of pilots have agreed to the new contract terms.
Vistara employs a total of 6,500 staff, which includes 1,000 pilots and 2,500 cabin crew members. The airline is currently undergoing a merger process with Air India.
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