Vistara crisis: CEO promises roster revision as pilots are ‘tired of flying’

Vistara pilots have pointed out that they are “flying at the edge of their maximum flight duty limitations” amid the ongoing crisis faced by the airlines.

“Pilots are flying at the edge of their maximum flight duty limitations. This is causing major health issues and everyone is falling sick frequently,” NDTV quoted sources as saying.

Since Monday, several Vistara flights have either been delayed or cancelled due to shortage of pilots after many of them called in sick in protest of a revised remuneration. At least 125 flight services have been cancelled since the beginning of this month.

“Everyone is just tired from flying. The new FDTL (Flight Duty Time Limitations) rules should have given us some relief but as expected that is also not happening,” the sources said.

“Everyone is falling sick frequently. Pilots are already exceeding their max sick leaves in a year and ending up in leave without pay,” they added.

The Vistara CEO Vinod Kannan told employees on Wednesday that the airlines will revise crew rosters and cut flights from May to address the pilots’ concerns.