Vistara to cut flights amid pilot protests, other top Indian airline faces turbulence

• Vistara, a major Indian airline, has been reducing operations since March 31st due to flight cancellations and delays.
• Vistara CEO Vinod Kannan apologized to pilots for the taxing schedules and requested their support.
• Flight cancellations will continue until the end of the month to establish a pilot buffer.

Since March 31st, Vistara, a major Indian airline, has been scaling back operations due to widespread flight cancellations and delays, with nearly 150 flights canceled and 200 flights delayed. Media reports attribute the disruption to pilots taking mass sick leave in protest against changes following the airline's merger with Air India.

A Vistara official informed the news agency that the airline is actively exploring ways to improve the work-life balance for its pilots. The official stated that Vistara is temporarily reducing its network and assured customers of refunds for canceled flights. According to The Hindu newspaper, Vistara CEO Vinod Kannan apologized to pilots during a meeting on Wednesday for the taxing schedules and requested their support in addressing concerns.

Mr. Kannan also stated that flight cancellations would continue until the end of the month to establish a pilot buffer. The Tata Group, which holds the majority stake in Vistara, acquired debt-ridden Air India - formerly India's national carrier - from the government for $2.2bn (£1.8bn) in 2021. It is now actively consolidating its airline business as it merges its various entities.

A joint venture between Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, Vistara plans to invest $250 million for a 25.1% stake in the combined entity once the merger is complete. Reports over the past few days indicate that pilots at Vistara express dissatisfaction with the new pay structure and work hours offered as part of the merger process.

According to an NDTV report, pilots have voiced complaints about haphazard rostering practices and have raised concerns about their career prospects after the merger, expected to be completed next year. The report states that pilots have been falling ill with increasing frequency, "flying at the limits of the maximum duty limitations," leading to concerns about their health and safety.

A Vistara official informed the news that the airline acknowledged that they had utilized their rosters to the maximum and that they were working to modify the roster to ensure a "better work-life balance" for its pilots.

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