Amid recent flight disruptions, Vistara CEO Vinod Kannan asserted that the airline staff has been stabilised and back on track, while stating, “the worst is behind us.”
Acknowledging the oversights, Kannan stated the experience as a learning opportunity. Despite a challenging start to the current fiscal year, operations have stabilised, with on-time performance reaching 89 percent on April 9, 2024.
“The anxiety and frustration felt by our customers was matched in even measure to the pain that all of us felt in seeing our much-loved brand drawing negative commentary from various quarters… I assure you that the worst is behind us, and we have already stabilised our operations, with our on-time performance (OTP) increasing to 89 per cent on 9 April 2024 (second highest among all Indian airlines),” he said in a message to the staff.
Earlier the Gurugram-based carrier announced scaling down its operations to 25-30 flights per day, making up 10% of its operational capacity. This too is pushing the ticket prices higher and higher.
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The airline, with approximately 6,500 employees, including 1,000 pilots, faced disruptions prompting virtual meetings with pilots. Factors contributing to disruptions included ATC delays, bird strikes, and maintenance activities. Insufficient pilot rosters exacerbated the situation.
Road to recovery
Acknowledging the setback, Kannan emphasised resilience and urged staff to uphold the airline’s reputation. Customer outreach efforts were undertaken, and plans for future operations are underway.
Meanwhile, the carrier is planning to operate more than 300 flights daily in the ongoing summer schedule with its 70 aircrafts fleet.
As Vistara emerges from this phase, Kannan underscored the commitment to customer service and expressed gratitude to staff for their support during challenging times.
