AI Pilots Stand in Solidarity with Vistara Pilots Amid Flight Disruptions
Flight disruptions continue to plague Tata Group-owned airline Vistara as pilots from sister airline Air India voice their support for their counterparts’ concerns. The ongoing issues have led to a series of flight cancellations and raised questions about the airline’s operational stability.
Flight disruptions continue to plague Tata Group-owned airline Vistara as pilots from sister airline Air India voice their support for their counterparts’ concerns. The ongoing issues have led to a series of flight cancellations and raised questions about the airline’s operational stability.
Vistara pilots have reportedly called in sick following disputes over revised contracts that impose restrictions on flying hours and reduce salaries. This has resulted in the cancellation of around 147 flights over four consecutive days, with approximately 20 flights canceled on Thursday alone.
An airline official, speaking on condition of anonymity, highlighted the challenges faced by Vistara, attributing the disruptions to poor planning and rostering issues. However, the airline dismissed these claims, stating that they have an adequate number of instructors.
Vistara’s CEO, Vinod Kannan, held a town hall meeting with pilots to address their concerns, assuring them that services would normalize by the weekend and pledging to address work-life balance issues in pilot rosters.
Meanwhile, Air India’s pilots unions, including the Indian Pilots Guild and Indian Commercial Pilots Guild, penned a letter to Tata Group chairman N Chandrasekaran, urging dialogue with Vistara pilots to address systemic issues across Tata Group aviation entities.
The letter highlighted concerns such as fixed compensation for work hours, lack of leave approvals, inadequate rest periods, unstable rosters, and an unsupportive work environment. Pilots emphasized the need for fair treatment and urged Tata Group leadership to engage in constructive dialogue to resolve these issues.
The situation underscores broader challenges within the aviation sector and the importance of addressing pilot welfare and operational stability to ensure a sustainable and efficient airline industry.
Sources By Agencies
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