Vistara CEO addresses pilot contract issues, aims for operational stability

Amidst operational challenges, Vistara's CEO, Vinod Kannan, assured that efforts are underway to stabilize operations by the weekend, with 98% of pilots having signed the new contracts amidst disruptions caused by flight cancellations.

Expressing regret for the inconvenience caused to customers, Kannan acknowledged pilot concerns regarding the revised salary structure. "In the light of the recent disruptions in our network, we acknowledge and are deeply concerned about the inconvenience this has caused to our customers. We would like to sincerely apologize to them for the same," he stated.

Addressing concerns about crew availability, Kannan emphasized the airline's commitment to resolving operational issues promptly. "We are addressing this on a war footing. continuing to hire more pilots and scaling back our operations slightly to provide much-needed resilience," he asserted.

Regarding customer service, Kannan outlined measures taken to accommodate affected passengers, including deploying larger aircraft on select routes and offering refunds and compensation. He also noted an improvement in the airline's on-time performance in recent days.

Clarifying the situation regarding the new pay structure for pilots, Kannan stated, "Over 98% of pilots have signed the new contract. Some pilots have concerns and queries regarding the contract. We are engaging with them to clarify and resolve the same."

The disruptions, which led to over 125 flight cancellations in three days, coincide with concerns among pilots regarding increased flight duty limitations and revised salary structures ahead of Vistara's merger with Air India, both entities under the Tata stable. While junior co-pilots' salaries are set to decrease due to reduced flying hours, those opting for higher flying hours could potentially earn more than before.