Representational image of a Vistara flight
| Photo Credit: PTI

Two trade unions of Air India pilots joined cause with Vistara’s cockpit crew and said in a letter addressed to Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekaran that concerns over a revised pay structure and hectic rosters extended to all Tata Group airlines, where crew were being treated as “bonded labour”.

“It is crucial to recognise that the concerns expressed by the Vistara pilots are not isolated incidents but rather indicative of systemic issues that extend across various Tata Group aviation entities,” read a letter from the Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association (ICPA) and Indian Pilots’ Guild (IPG). The unions urged that the CEOs of Air India, Vistara and Air India Express must have a dialogue with pilots to address their grievances. The ICPA represents the pilots of Air India’s narrowbody fleet, and the IPG of that of the airline’s widebody fleet.

The National Company Law Tribunal will evaluate the impending merger of Vistara into Air India on Friday. This is the final nod awaited for the consolidation of Tata’s two full-service carriers.

The missive comes a day after Vistara CEO Vinod Kannan, following over 150 flight cancellations between March 31 to April 2, held a townhall with its pilots on the same concerns where he extended an apology for mismanagement of rosters and assured them of better work-life balance without backing down on the issue of revised pay contracts announced in mid-February.

The issues reiterated by the two trade unions are cutting down of the 70-hours guaranteed flying allowance to 40 hours, approval of leaves, adequate rest periods, unstable roster, stretching pilots to maximum flight duty, botched roster practices and an unsupportive work environment, including issuing threats to pilots on “potential disruptions to their future”.

The two trade unions said that such an environment impacted safety culture. “Pilots who feel threatened or intimidated may be reluctant to report safety concerns or speak up about issues that could impact flight operations,” the letter added.

New Delhi:

Vistara expects to resume normal flight ops by the weekend, company sources told NDTV Wednesday evening, hours after CEO Vinod Kannan and senior members of his management team held a virtual town hall with striking pilots.

Company sources said the pilots had been promised a course correction to address concerns in the wake of Vistara’s merger with Air India. This, sources said, will include improved growth potential once the merger is complete and better rostering of pilots, which is expected by May.

The pilots have been told that opportunities to earn more will exist post the merger.

Almost 100 per cent of the pilots have now accepted the new contract, sources said, adding that no protest had been expressed by pilots during the virtual town hall.

Emphasising the point that crisis brought on by pilot shortage is nearing an end, Vistara sources also said only 24 flights were cancelled today compared to the 52 affected yesterday.

The pilots have yet to release a statement from their side.

READ | Vistara CEO To Meet Pilots After Scores Of Flights Cancelled

The airline had earlier said it faced a “significant number” of flight cancellations and delays “due to various reasons including crew unavailability”. It also said it had decided to temporarily reduce the number of flights it operates “to ensure adequate connectivity across our network”.

“We acknowledge and are deeply concerned about the inconvenience this has caused to our customers. Having said that, our teams are working towards minimizing the discomfort to the customers,” the airline said.

Vistara pilots had called in sick to protest the revised salary structure ahead of the merger with Air India. The pilots were sent a revised pay structure over mail and asked to sign on a short notice. The pilots were also warned that those who did not sign would be left out of the merger.

READ | Inside Track Of Vistara Crisis: Why Pilots Called In Sick En Masse

Pilots have complained that their cost to company (CTC) had been reduced in the new contract, in which they are mandated to fly 40 hours as opposed to 70 hours earlier. Sources in the airline, however, said that under the new structure pilots were incentivised to fly more, and that they could, in fact, earn more than they did earlier.

The centre is monitoring the situation and has sought daily reports from Vistara. Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had asked the airline to share the steps they are taking to deal with the inconvenience caused to passengers.

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