Vistara Airlines, co-owned by Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, has been in the spotlight recently due to multiple flight cancellations and delays, leading to significant inconvenience for passengers. The airline, facing criticism and outrage from passengers, cited ‘crew unavailability’ as the primary reason behind these disruptions and announced temporary measures to stabilize the situation.
This is the scene at gate 65 B (#Kolkata flight delayed). Passengers angry, restless & sleepless. Demanding clear answers. #Vistara #CSMIA pic.twitter.com/63JQqEk5ok
— Rosy Sequeira (@RosySequeiraTOI) April 2, 2024
At least 38 Vistara flights originating from major cities were cancelled this morning, including 15 from Mumbai, 12 from Delhi, and 11 from Bengaluru. This followed the cancellation of 50 flights yesterday, with an additional 160 facing delays. Passengers had expressed frustration over poor communication and long waits at the airports, slamming the airline for the inconvenience caused.
Facing horrible experience with @airvistara flight UK781 has been cancelled just before 5-6hr of departure is this fool on 1st apr. Have to pay 2x amount of normal flight for back to hometown on the same day is this the way u can cancel anytime @DGCAIndia
Please help on this pic.twitter.com/q0ijZZmtO0— Ashish sahoo (@556d8acbc5534fa) April 1, 2024
In response to the situation, Vistara issued a statement acknowledging the significant number of flight cancellations and delays, attributing them to various operational reasons, including crew unavailability. The airline expressed deep concern about the inconvenience caused to customers and assured that teams were working to minimize discomfort.
Never book with @airvistara . They randomly cancel the flight with no alternative. At shirt notice. They still use SMS! Not even worth risking a try. @makemytrip is equally callous. No accountability.
Better to stick with the known devil- Indigo.— Nibu Thomas (@ThomasNibu) April 1, 2024
To mitigate the impact, Vistara announced temporary reductions in the number of flights it operates to ensure adequate connectivity across its network. Additionally, larger aircraft such as the B787-9 Dreamliner and A321neo have been deployed on select domestic routes to accommodate more passengers or combine flights. The airline is also offering alternate flight options or refunds to affected customers.
“We confirm that we have had a number of flight cancellations and unavoidable delays in the last few days due to various operational reasons. Our teams are tirelessly working to stabilising the situation. We regret the inconvenience caused to our valued customers due to these disruptions,” the airline’s statement read.
@DGCAIndia chaos at Mumbai Airport!
10 vistara flights cancelled.@airvistara anyone asking pax not to come to airport?#mumbaiairport #vistara #dgca@Ministry_CA anyone following this situation?@TimesNow @IndianExpress @LoksattaLive @mataonline pic.twitter.com/jYsCMAWfnN— Kamlesh Desai (@the_realslim_kd) April 2, 2024
Passengers took to social media platforms, particularly X (formerly Twitter), to express their frustration and disappointment over the delays and cancellations. Former Infosys Chief Financial Officer Mohandas Pai and historian Vikram Sampath were among those who shared their experiences, highlighting the lack of prior notice and poor service.
Flight cancelled after baggage checkin, Baggage not return i take another flight staff said baggage will reach at your destination
Kindly return baggage asap pic.twitter.com/EAMODD8aHI— गर्ग साहब KYC वाले (@feelbankers) April 1, 2024
In a tweet, Mohandas Pai criticized Vistara’s service, citing a last-minute change in departure time without prior notice. Historian Vikram Sampath expressed frustration over a cancelled flight and subsequent delays, questioning the airline’s consideration for its customers.
This recent crisis adds to the challenges Vistara has faced in the past, including a similar situation last month when flight operations were impacted at Delhi and Mumbai airports due to pilot unavailability.
@airvistara My flight UK – 582 goa(GOI)-Bengaluru(BLR) has been cancelled by VISTARA.
Your customer care/website is completely unresponsive. Help me with my options.
I expected better service than this being a recent Club Vistara member. I will surely reconsider renewing it. pic.twitter.com/dcsBysoFIS— sukalpa mishra (@SukalpaMishra) April 1, 2024
The airline’s efforts to address the situation and provide alternatives for affected passengers are ongoing, with Vistara emphasizing its commitment to stabilizing operations and resuming regular capacity soon.