AI pilots come out in support of Vistara pilots; flight disruptions continue.
Vistara airline faces fourth day of cancellations amid pilot concerns. Tata Group urged to address grievances.
Tata Group's airline, Vistara, continued to experience flight cancellations for the fourth consecutive day, even as pilots from sister airline Air India appealed to the group chairman to address the concerns of Vistara pilots. Two Vistara officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that approximately 20 flights were canceled on Thursday, bringing the total number of cancellations to around 147.
"Approximately 20 Vistara flights were canceled on Thursday. However, its on-time performance (OTP) slightly improved from 85.9% on Wednesday to 86.4% on Thursday," one of the officials stated.
An airline spokesperson declined to comment on the number of canceled flights or the most affected routes but emphasized that the airline is making efforts to alleviate the impact of flight cancellations.
"To minimize inconvenience to customers, cancellations are being made well in advance of departure dates as we have temporarily reduced capacity while maintaining adequate connectivity across our network. Additionally, we are providing alternate flight options or refunds to affected customers, as appropriate," the spokesperson said.
Vistara pilots have reported calling in sick after being compelled to sign revised contracts that restrict co-pilot flying time from 70 to 40 hours and reduce salaries.
"The airline's current situation is a result of poor planning and rostering. There is a shortage of designated examiners needed to train pilots and conduct various tests for additional certifications," an airline official remarked. However, the airline refuted this claim, stating, "We confirm that we have an adequate number of instructors."
Vistara's CEO, Vinod Kannan, held a 30-minute town hall with pilots on Wednesday, assuring them that airline services would return to normal by the weekend and pledging to adjust pilots' rosters to maintain work-life balance. Meanwhile, Air India's two pilots' unions, the Indian Pilots Guild (representing Boeing pilots) and the Indian Commercial Pilots Guild (representing Airbus pilots), wrote to Tata Group chairman N. Chandrasekaran on Thursday, urging dialogue with pilots to address Vistara pilots' concerns.
"It is essential to acknowledge that the concerns raised by Vistara pilots are not isolated incidents but indicative of systemic issues across various Tata Group aviation entities," the unions stated in their letter.
The pilots emphasized the need for fixed compensation for 70 hours of work, improved working conditions, stable rosters, and adequate rest periods. They highlighted instances of exploitation, overwork, and deprivation of basic rights across Tata Group airlines, urging Tata Group leadership to engage in constructive dialogue and take proactive measures to address grievances and foster a culture of fairness, transparency, and employee welfare across all aviation ventures.
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