GURUGRAM- Vistara (UK) CEO Vinod Kannan disclosed on Friday that despite a reduced schedule aimed at enhancing operational resilience and flexibility, the airline managed to operate 12%–15% more flights during the April–May period compared to the same period last year.
Kannan stated in a communication to employees, “As previously mentioned, we had to adapt our network for April and May to bolster operational resilience and flexibility. Despite this adjustment, our flight capacity increased by 12–15% compared to April 2023. Additionally, we achieved a robust Passenger Load Factor (PLF) of 85% in April.”
Vistara International Flights Growth
He further noted, “Our On-Time Performance (OTP) showed consistent improvement due to corrective measures, reaching its peak on April 17 at 91%.”
Before April, Vistara operated over 300 flights daily. In the summer schedule, the airline’s weekly departures surged more than 25% year-on-year to 2,324.
Moreover, Vistara’s international weekly departures grew substantially, increasing by over 50% year-on-year to 184.
In April, Vistara reduced its operations by approximately 25–30 flights per day, constituting about 10% of its total capacity, following significant operational disruptions experienced from March 31 to April 2, attributed to various factors.
Optimizing Operations
During April, Kannan acknowledged that the airline had stretched pilot schedules, lacking adequate resilience to handle unexpected challenges.
He stated, “We could and should have planned better, and this has been a learning experience for us, which we will thoroughly review.”
Consequently, the airline opted to streamline operations to enhance resilience in the flight schedule and create a buffer in pilot rosters.
Kannan’s clarification came in response to reports suggesting that cancellations occurred due to a significant number of ‘first officers’ or co-pilots taking sick leaves, allegedly in protest against a new wage agreement. This agreement reduced their monthly flying hours from 70 to 40, resulting in substantial pay cuts.
Globally, pilots typically fly up to 80 hours per month. The necessity for the new contract arose in anticipation of the merger with Air India (AI).
Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.
Also Read: US Airlines, Including American, United, Delta, and Southwest, want you to Dress Properly – Aviation A2Z
Join us on Telegram Group for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on Google News.
Air India-Vistara Merger to Be Completed in Q4 2024
The post Vistara Operates 50% More International Flights from Last Year appeared first on Aviation A2Z.