{"id":61059,"date":"2024-04-07T12:49:59","date_gmt":"2024-04-07T07:19:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/?p=61059"},"modified":"2024-05-12T14:32:08","modified_gmt":"2024-05-12T09:02:08","slug":"vistara-ceo-says-98-of-pilots-accepted-new-pay-is-he-lying","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2024\/04\/07\/vistara-ceo-says-98-of-pilots-accepted-new-pay-is-he-lying\/","title":{"rendered":"Vistara CEO Says 98% of Pilots Accepted New Pay, Is He Lying?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

GURUGRAM-<\/strong> Vistara (UK) <\/a>CEO Vinod Kannan emphasized on Saturday that “more than 98% of pilots” had agreed to update contracts featuring a revised pay system, which industry insiders highlighted as a significant factor contributing to recent flight disruptions and delays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nevertheless, industry insiders argued that the count of Vistara pilots declining the revised pay terms, announced in mid-February, exceeded the airline’s public acknowledgment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Vistara
Photo: avgeekwithlens\/ Harsh Tekriwal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Vistara CEO on Pilots Crisis: Truth or Lie?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Mr Kannan, who convened a town hall meeting with pilots on April 4 to address their concerns following the airline’s necessity to cancel 150 flights and encounter delays for over 200 other flights in the preceding three to four days, reportedly informed attendees at the event that 270 pilots had yet to sign the contract, as per accounts from several individuals who attended the online session and requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This suggests that nearly a quarter of Vistara’s entire cockpit crew opposed the terms of the new contract, which reduces the guaranteed minimum flying allowance from 70 hours to 40 hours, resulting in a monthly pay reduction of \u20b980,000 to \u20b91.4 lakh for First Officers (FOs or junior pilots). The airline employs over 1,100 pilots<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stating that the full-service carrier has an adequate crew for regular operations, Mr. Kannan mentioned that the airline faced challenges due to operating “on a high utilization” mode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We are tackling this with urgency. Therefore, we are actively recruiting more pilots and are also cautiously adjusting our operations to provide necessary resilience and buffer in the schedules,” the CEO stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regarding customer service, he mentioned, “We have deployed larger aircraft like our Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner <\/a>and A321neo <\/a>on specific domestic routes to accommodate more passengers, wherever feasible. Additionally, we are contacting all customers affected by the delays and cancellations over the past weekend to offer appropriate refunds and compensation.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Kannan asserted that the airline’s punctuality has improved over the last three days and expressed hope to stabilize operations for the remainder of April by the upcoming weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Vistara
Photo: Vistara<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Unhappy Pilots<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

According to industry insiders, pilots have expressed dissatisfaction over several issues, including demanding flight schedules and delays in promotions for First Officers (FOs) to the position of Pilot-in-Command. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These grievances had been simmering for some time, resulting in resignations that sparked disruptions, coinciding with the introduction of the new pay structure two months ago. The FOs, in particular, were reportedly incensed by these developments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Unlike Commanders who have accumulated years of experience, First Officers are burdened with the responsibility of repaying loans taken for their training,” remarked Mohan Ranganathan, a seasoned former Boeing 737<\/a> flying instructor at Air India (AI)<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“They have committed to paying EMIs based on their anticipated income, which will change following the implementation of the new salary structure. Training expenses have also surged significantly recently, with current batches of First Officers across airlines investing \u20b980 lakh to \u20b91 crore to complete their training.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s reported that Mr. Kannan informed pilots during the town hall meeting that despite a section of pilots rejecting the new pay structure outlined in the updated contract, the airline’s stance remained unchanged, as conveyed by the HR department. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

HR officials had cautioned pilots that failing to sign the new contract by March 15 would lead to repercussions, including the loss of a one-time payout linked to the merger and forfeiture of their position in the upgrade sequence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During our interview with an Akasa Air (QP) Senior technician<\/a>, who had also applied at Vistara, he revealed that the HR at Vistara is rude and don’t give a sh*t nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Air
Photo: Harsh Tekriwal AvgeekwithLens. Follow him on its social media<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Roster Mismanagement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

During the town hall, the CEO acknowledged a misalignment between network expansion and pilot strength, resulting in pilots working extended hours and flights being spread too thinly, causing numerous cancellations and delays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, reliable sources suggest that Air India is expected to dispatch 15-20 First Officers (FOs) to Vistara on secondment starting next week, as an equivalent number of pilots have departed the airline to join IndiGo (6E)<\/a> and Qatar Airways (QR)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, to enhance the pilot-to-aircraft ratio, six aircraft are anticipated to be transferred from Vistara, with another 14 from Air India, to the Tata Group’s low-cost international subsidiary, Air India Express. Notably, the aircraft being relocated is of an all-economy class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Vistara
Photo: avgeekwithlens\/ Harsh Tekriwal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Vistara Flight Delays and Cancellation to Continue<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The CEO has previously stated that flight cancellations will persist until the end of April to build up a reserve of pilots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moreover, concerns have been raised within the airline regarding alleged mismanagement of pilot training, which has prompted safety implications and elicited a show-cause notice from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) <\/a>earlier this month, according to industry insiders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We have received a show-cause notice from the DGCA and are engaging in discussions with the regulator regarding this matter,” acknowledged Mr. Kannan in the statement issued on Saturday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The situation is so critical that the last two Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, including one that was recently added to the fleet on March 29, were flown from Boeing’s aircraft assembly facility in Charleston, U.S., to New Delhi <\/a>by the manufacturer’s pilots due to insufficient staffing on our end. The Dreamliner delivery was also delayed due to the same staffing issue,” disclosed a knowledgeable individual to The Hindu<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“If Air India hadn’t dispatched its widebody pilots to Vistara, the latter would have had to ground as many as three of its widebody aircraft,” revealed another source.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Join us on Telegram Group <\/a>for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on Google News<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Vistara Operates 50% More International Flights from Last Year<\/a><\/blockquote>