A Crunch in the Cockpit

The discontentment among pilots at Vistara over the new pay structure may result in a harsh summer for passengers

- ARNAB DUTTA

VISTARA, THE COUNTRY'S third-largest air carrier, hit a snag of "crew unavailability" in the first week of April, forcing the Gurugram-based airline to cancel many domestic flights. The issue, which has been simmering for some time, will have significant ramifications for the local aviation industry, apart from causing major inconveniences to its passengers, at least over the next few weeks.

The root cause of the Vistara crisis lies in the airline's inability to reach an agreement with its staff over the new pay structure ahead of its merger with sister concern Air India. According to sources, the restructured pay package that guarantees pilots a minimum flying of 40 hours a week instead of the earlier 70 hours would have resulted in a significant reduction in pay. This caused discontentment, especially among pilots. Pilots were required to accept the new pay structure by March 15.