Centre requests report from Vistara amidst flight cancellations and delays

Amid flight cancellations and delays, Vistara has decided to temporarily reduce its flight operations due to the “non-availability of crew”. Over a hundred Vistara flights have been affected over the past week, leading to disruptions in travel plans for passengers.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has sought a detailed report from Vistara regarding the reasons behind the flight cancellations and major delays. Vistara has acknowledged the crew shortage and stated that they are working to ensure adequate connectivity across their network by deploying larger aircraft on select domestic routes and combining flights.

A Vistara spokesperson mentioned, “We are offering alternate flight options or refunds to affected customers, as applicable. We understand that these disruptions have caused immense discomfort to our customers and sincerely apologize for the same. We are working towards stabilizing the situation and will resume operating our regular capacity very soon.”

Sources have revealed that the flight disruptions are a result of Vistara pilots protesting against the new pay structure that follows Tata group’s Air India, with which Vistara is set to merge. The new pay structure reduces the guaranteed pay for pilots from 70 hours to 40 hours, raising concerns about potential salary cuts for the pilots.

Passengers are advised to stay updated on the situation and make necessary arrangements for their travel plans. Vistara is working to resolve the issues and restore normal operations as soon as possible.