AI pilots come out in support of Vistara pilots; flight disruptions continue

New Delhi: Tata Group owned airline, Vistara, continued to see flight cancellations for the fourth consecutive day even as pilots from sister airline Air India urged the group chairman to look into the concerns of Vistara pilots

At least two Vistara officials , who asked not to be named, confirmed that around 20 flights were cancelled on Thursday, taking the total number of cancellations to around 147.

“Around 20 Vistara flights were cancelled on Thursday. Its on time performance (OTP) however, marginally improved from 85.9% on Wednesday to 86.4% on Thursday,” one of the above said.

An airline spokesperson did not comment on the number of flights cancelled or the most affected routes.

The spokesperson, however, said that the airline has been doing its best to mitigate the impact of flight cancellations.

“In order to minimise inconvenience caused to customers, cancellations are being done well ahead of the departure date as we have temporarily reduced capacity while ensuring adequate connectivity across our network. Furthermore, we are also offering alternate flight options or refunds to affected customers, as applicable,” the spokesperson said.

Also Read: Airline will resume normalcy by the weekend: Vistara CEO Vinod Kannan

Vistara pilots have called in sick after being forced to sign revised contracts, restricting flying time for a co- pilot from 70 to 40 hours and reducing salaries.

“The airline’s situation is due to poor planning and rostering. They do not have adequate designated examiners required to train pilots and conduct various tests for them to get additional rating on their certificate,” an airline official said. The airline dismissed the claim: “We confirm that we have an adequate number of instructors”.

The airline’s chief executive officer (CEO) Vinod Kannan had a 30-minute townhall with pilots on Wednesday. He met the airline’s pilots assuring them that airline services will be normalised by the weekend, adding that the pilots’ rosters will be fixed to maintain their work-life balance.

Meanwhile, Air India’s two pilots unions Indian Pilots Guild (Boeing pilots association) and Indian Commercial Pilots Guild (Airbus pilots’ union) wrote to the Tata Group chairman N Chandrasekaran on Thursday urging the Tata Group to have a dialogue with pilots and address the concerns raised by Vistara pilots.

Also Read: Vistara crisis: DGCA asks airline to submit daily report on cancellations and delays

The unions stated: “It is crucial to recognise that the concerns expressed by the Vistara pilots are not isolated incidents but rather indicative of systemic issues that extend across various Tata Group aviation entities”.

The letter read: “The pilots of Vistara have been steadfast in their advocacy for fixed 70 hours compensation, improved working conditions, and stable roster. After thorough assessment and consultation, we firmly believe that their demands are not only reasonable but also reflective of broader challenges prevalent within Tata Group airlines.”

The pilots claimed that the issues of fixed remuneration for 70 hours of work, lack of leave approvals, lack of adequate rest periods, unstable rosters, stretching pilots to max their flight duties, and an unsupportive work environment are consistently echoed by pilots across different Tata Group airlines.

“..it is distressing to witness instances where pilots are being exploited, overworked and deprived of their basic rights across Tata Group Airlines…we urge (the)Tata Group leadership to engage in constructive dialogue with the pilot community, listen attentively to their feedback and take proactive measures to address their legitimate grievances. By addressing the concerns raised by the Vistara pilots, Tata Group can demonstrate its commitment to fostering a culture of fairness, transparency and employee welfare across all its aviation ventures, which is missing at the moment,” the pilots said.