In a move aimed at restoring stability to its operations, Vistara, the Tata Group airline on the path to merging with Air India, has announced the cancellation of nearly 1,000 flights for the month of April. This decision comes in the wake of significant disruptions experienced last week due to concerns over pilot rosters and discontent regarding pay cuts.

The airline is strategically scaling back its operations by approximately 25-30 flights per day, translating to a 10% reduction in its previous capacity. This adjustment will bring Vistara's operations back to the level maintained at the end of February 2024, according to a company statement.

Vistara, through a spokesperson, assured passengers that the cancellations primarily affect the domestic network and were implemented well in advance to minimize inconvenience. The airline has already re-accommodated all impacted passengers on alternative flights, ensuring minimal disruption to their travel plans.

"We're carefully reducing our operations by around 25-30 flights daily, which is roughly 10% of our prior capacity. This takes us back to our operational level from the end of February 2024. This reduction provides much-needed flexibility and buffer in our pilot rosters," the Vistara spokesperson explained.

"These cancellations are primarily domestic and done well in advance to minimize passenger inconvenience. We've also re-accommodated all affected passengers on other flights. In line with our earlier communication, this covers all changes for April 2024, and the situation has already shown improvement with on-time performance rising over the last few days. We're hopeful of achieving stable operations for the rest of the month and beyond."

Looking ahead, Vistara expresses optimism regarding the stabilization of its operations throughout the remainder of April and beyond. The airline anticipates that these adjustments will foster a smoother operational environment, enabling them to deliver exceptional service to their passengers while maintaining the highest safety standards.

Vistara's decision to reduce flights follows earlier announcements regarding the reassessment of its pilot rostering system. In an interview with news agency PTI, Vinod Kannan, the airline's chief executive, revealed that no significant rise in pilot attrition has been observed despite concerns surrounding pay adjustments outlined in a new contract.