Tata-owned Air India is set to lend a hand to Vistara by dispatching a group of first officers trained to operate narrow-body A320 family planes, as reported by news agency PTI.
This assistance comes amidst Vistara’s operational challenges due to pilot shortages, with several pilots having resigned recently. Pending regulatory approvals, these pilots from Air India will be deputed to Vistara to help alleviate the situation.
Deputation of Pilots and Impact on Operations
It is anticipated that over 30 narrow-body pilots from Air India will be deputed to Vistara, marking the first instance of such collaboration between the two airlines in operating narrow-body aircraft. Currently, Air India has 24 pilots on deputation to operate Vistara’s wide-body Boeing 787 planes. Vistara, in response to the pilot shortage, announced the cancellation of approximately 25–30 flights per day, constituting roughly 10% of its daily operations.
Impact on Flight Operations and Fare Increases
With Vistara scaling back its operations, primarily on metro routes, due to pilot shortages, the likelihood of fare increases looms large. Vistara, which operates around 18 flights per day on the Delhi-Mumbai route, is expected to experience increased demand for its services. The airline had previously obtained approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to expand its flight operations by 22% per week for the summer season.
Rising Summer Fares and Travel Demand
Reports suggest that Vistara’s flight cancellations could contribute to a 20-25% increase in domestic flight fares for the upcoming summer season. Analysis conducted by travel portal ixigo indicates a surge in spot fares on certain routes, with one-way spot fares for Delhi-Bengaluru flights climbing by 39% and Delhi-Srinagar flights witnessing a 30% increase. The overall impact of Vistara’s operational challenges underscores the broader issue of pilot shortages in the aviation sector, influencing travel dynamics and pricing strategies.
