Pilot shortage sparks chaos as passengers vent frustration; MoCA demands detailed report
Passengers took to social media to express frustration over the disruptions
- Twenty nine Vistara flights were cancelled on Tuesday
- Multiple flights experienced delays
- Passengers took to social media to express frustration over the disruptions
Twenty nine Vistara flights were cancelled on Tuesday, comprising 14 departures and 17 arrivals from Mumbai, 12 from Delhi, and 11 from Bengaluru. Multiple flights experienced delays.
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Passengers took to social media to express frustration over the disruptions. The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) instructed Tata Group’s full-service airline Vistara to submit a detailed report on the repeated flight cancellations and delays.
Vistara faced pre-merger turbulence with 52 flight cancellations across India on Tuesday, attributed to a shortage of pilots. Several pilots began calling in sick from mid-March after the airline decided to revise their salary structure, leading to a substantial decrease in their take-home pay.
Flight cancellations
Sources from Mumbai airport said, “29 flights to/from various airports have been cancelled today (Tuesday) due to the ongoing issue of Vistara pilots calling in sick.” Sources from Delhi and Bengaluru airports disclosed that 12 and 11 flights, respectively, were cancelled on Tuesday, with multiple delays.
Pilots issue
In response to the pilots’ issues, an airline staffer and senior pilot explained, “As part of its merger with Air India, we (Vistara’s pilots) will be put under Air India’s pay system, which is likely to hamper our minimum assured flying pay. We will now be assured of payment for 40 hours, a decrease from the previous 70 hours mentioned in our contracts with the airline.” Following the ultimatum in March, several pilots began taking sick leave, triggering flight cancellations and delays.
Passengers on X
Passengers voiced their frustration on social media platforms. Kiran Prakash, from X account @MSKiranPrakash, tweeted, “#Vistara Waiting since 6 pm on April 1 for my flight from #Bangalore. It’s now 1. 40 am on April 2. Flight still has not departed. No word yet from @DGCAIndia @JM_Scindia @MoCA_Gol (SIC)”
Pragyaditya Das, from his X account @PragyadityaD, tweeted, “How Vistara spoiled our day? My flight was scheduled for 7.15 pm on April 1, 2024. It’s now 1. 44 am on April 2, 2024. Flight still not left. Staff strikes are sudden and unacceptable. Passengers in distress.”
MoCA speaks
A senior MoCA official stated, “We have sought a detailed report from Vistara regarding flight cancellations and delays. We have asked the airlines to submit daily reports of flight cancellations to DGCA.”
Vistara speaks
In an official statement, Vistara acknowledged the disruptions and stated, “We have had a significant number of flight cancellations and delays in the past few days due to various reasons, including crew unavailability. We acknowledge and are deeply concerned about the inconvenience this has caused to our customers. Our teams are working towards minimising discomfort to customers.”
They announced temporary reductions in flight operations and the deployment of larger aircraft to accommodate affected passengers. They also offered alternate flight options or refunds to affected customers. Vistara apologised for the disruptions and assured customers of efforts to stabilise operations soon.
52
Total no of flights cancelled
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