Vistara CEO Vinod Kannan has announced that the airline is working towards stabilizing operations for the rest of April 2024 by this weekend, as 98% of pilots have signed the new pay contract. The airline has been facing operational disruptions due to a significant number of pilots taking sick leave following the announcement of new salary rules, coinciding with the merger with Air India.
The pilot shortage issue arose from pay cuts implemented after new flying hours regulations came into effect recently. This led to crew shortages earlier in the week, resulting in severe operational disruptions and numerous flight cancellations.
Kannan clarified that while over 98% of pilots have signed the new contract, the airline is aware that some pilots have concerns and queries regarding the contract. Vistara is engaging with pilots to address and resolve their concerns, with the CEO asserting that the ongoing issue has not caused a visible spike in pilot attrition.
The airline has apologized to the public for the recent flight cancellations and delays, attributing them to various operational reasons and high resource utilization. Vistara has taken steps to reduce the number of flights temporarily and deploy larger aircraft on select domestic routes to accommodate more customers.
Despite the challenges faced, Vistara is committed to providing a seamless travel experience for its customers and is working towards resolving the operational issues on a war footing. The airline has assured customers of refunds and compensation for affected flights and thanked them for their continued support and patience during this time.