The Aryavarth Express
Agency(New Delhi): Vistara’s CEO, Vinod Kannan, has delivered a message of resilience and recovery to the airline’s staff, affirming that the worst of their recent operational disruptions is now in the past. These disruptions, which included a temporary reduction in flights by 10 percent due to pilot shortages and other issues, had marred the airline’s reputation and service quality at the start of the financial year.
Kannan acknowledged the setbacks, which occurred from March 31 to April 2, were due to several factors such as air traffic control delays, bird strikes, and maintenance challenges, compounded by inadequate pilot roster planning. The situation was exacerbated by some pilots calling in sick in protest against new contractual terms affecting their pay.
Despite these challenges, Kannan reported a significant improvement in operations, noting an on-time performance rate of 89 percent as of April 9, which ranks second highest among Indian airlines. He expressed gratitude towards the staff for their dedication and outlined the airline’s commitment to learning from these experiences to prevent future issues.
The CEO emphasized the company’s response to affected customers, stating that all required compensations have been made as per regulatory standards, and additional service recovery vouchers have been issued to those who faced considerable delays. Looking ahead, Vistara plans to strengthen its operational resilience and customer service as it prepares for the summer schedule, aiming to operate over 300 flights daily with its fleet of 70 aircraft.
Kannan’s message highlighted a forward-looking strategy focusing on recovery and enhanced service delivery, assuring staff and customers alike that the full-service carrier is set to emerge stronger from its recent challenges.