Vistara flight cancelations: Why pilots are protesting over new contract
Vistara Airlines is currently grappling with a severe crisis, leading to a significant number of flight cancelations and delays. The turmoil stems from pilots protesting against the terms of a new contract, which was introduced following the decision to merge Vistara with Air India. However, the revised contract, including changes in salary structure, was an initiative Vistara was trying to implement even before the merger.
Pilots who don't sign contracts will face severe consequences: Vistara
In an email to pilots, Vistara outlined the consequences of not accepting the new pay structure. The airline stated that pilots who reject the revised salary terms will not be considered for future promotions and will forfeit a one-time bonus promised to them. Furthermore, such pilots would be deemed uninterested in working with Air India and consequently, would not be included in the transition process.
Pilots call in sick en masse to protest against contract
After receiving the email, several pilots called in sick, resulting in significant flight disruptions. Meanwhile, Vistara, co-owned by Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, said it is working to stabilize the situation. "We have had a significant number of flight cancelation and delays in the past few days due to various reasons including crew unavailability," a company spokesperson said.
Pilots concerned over revised pay structure
The main issue for Vistara pilots is the new pay structure, which significantly reduces their minimum guaranteed flying allowance. The revised pay structure, announced in February, guarantees Vistara pilots pay for only 40 hours instead of the previous 70 hours. This change has raised concerns among many pilots about a potential decrease in their take-home pay.
Vistara temporarily reduces flight schedule
Now, flight tracking data reveals that 60+ Vistara flights were canceled and nearly 180 delayed out of more than 300 daily flights as of Monday evening. Nearly 38 flights have been canceled this morning. Similar issues persisted over the weekend, prompting Vistara to temporarily reduce its daily flight schedule. In an attempt to consolidate flights, the airline is now deploying larger aircraft on certain domestic routes.
Vistara customers vent their anger
"The Vistara flight that was supposed to take me home at 8:30pm will fly (may be) at 11:30pm now, because there are no pilots!! 12 flights are delayed for this reason. The airline is trying to arrange for pilots who are 'legally allowed to fly'," wrote one user on X. Some users have accused Vistara of issuing partial refunds after canceling their flights. Separately, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has sought a report from Vistara regarding flight cancelations and delays.
