Vistara reduces flight operations due to pilot shortage, promises refund to affected passengers

Vistara on Monday announced that it had to reduce several flights due to a shortage of pilots and crew.

"We have had a significant number of flight cancellations and delays in the past few days due to various reasons including crew unavailability," a company spokesperson said in a statement.

Vistara, which is owned by Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, is deploying bigger planes like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner on some domestic routes to accommodate more passengers, as stated by a spokesperson.

Last month, the airline, set to merge with Tata-owned Air India, experienced similar disruptions. 

Local media had reported that more pilots at Vistara were calling in sick. However, Vistara clarified that the disruptions were not solely due to pilot absenteeism but also because of unexpected maintenance issues.

Vistara's flight disruptions coincide with India's aviation authority postponing the June 1 deadline for airlines to implement new rules regarding pilots' rest and duty times. This decision has faced criticism from pilots and aviation safety experts.

Story to be updated soon