Vistara CEO To Meet Pilots After Scores Of Flights Cancelled, Delayed

Amid a string of flight cancellations and delays, Vistara CEO Vinod Kannan will be meeting pilots working with the airline this afternoon, sources have told NDTV Profit, adding that representatives of the top management and human resources team will also attend the online meeting.

This comes after more than 100 flights were cancelled and many more delayed over the past two days, resulting in harassment and long wait for passengers.

The airline has said that it has faced a "significant number" of flight cancellations and delays "due to various reasons including crew unavailability".

The airline has also said it has decided to temporarily reduce the number of flights it operates "to ensure adequate connectivity across our network".

"We acknowledge and are deeply concerned about the inconvenience this has caused to our customers. Having said that, our teams are working towards minimizing the discomfort to the customers," it said.

The airline has also said that it has decided to temporarily reduce the number of flights it operates "to ensure adequate connectivity across our network".

"We have also deployed larger aircraft like our B787-9 Dreamliner and A321neo on select domestic routes to combine flights or accommodate more number of customers, wherever possible. Furthermore, we are offering alternate flight options or refunds to affected customers, as applicable. Once again, we understand that these disruptions have caused immense discomfort to our customers, and sincerely apologise to them for the same. We are working towards stabilizing the situation and will resume operating our regular capacity very soon," Vistara has said.

Vistara pilots, it is learnt, are calling in sick as they protest the revised salary structure ahead of the airline's merger with Air India. The pilots have been sent the revised pay structure over mail and asked to sign on a short notice. The pilots have been warned that those who don't sign will be left out of the merger.

Pilots are saying that their cost to company (CTC) has gone down in the new contract, in which they are mandated to fly 40 hours as opposed to 70 hours earlier. Sources in the airline say that under the new structure, pilots who fly more are incentivised and may earn more than they did earlier. The talks between the management and pilots have not found a breakthrough so far.

The Centre is monitoring the situation and has sought daily reports from Vistara.

Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has asked the airline to share the steps they are taking to deal with the inconvenience caused to passengers. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has asked Vistara to submit daily details on delays and cancellations.