Air India plans to send pilots on deputation to crisis-hit Vistara

New Delhi, April 10

Tata Group-owned Air India is planning to send a set of first officers who can operate the narrow body A320 family planes to Vistara, which is grappling with pilot woes, according to multiple sources. The pilots will be send to Vistara on deputation, subject to getting necessary regulatory approvals. Air India and Vistara did not offer any comments.

The sources said some first officers who can operate A320 family planes will be send to Vistara on deputation. Two of the sources said the number of narrow body pilots likely to be deputed to Vistara could be a little over 30. One of the sources said it would be the first time that pilots from Air India would be deputed to Vistara for operating narrow body aircraft. For operating Vistara’s wide body Boeing 787 planes, around 24 pilots are already on deputation from Air India. They include 16 commanders and eight first officers, the source said.

Vistara, a joint venture between the Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, has cut its operational capacity by 10 per cent or 25-30 flights daily due to pilot issues.

The full service carrier has around 6,500 staff, including 1,000 pilots and 2,500 cabin crew. The airline is in the process of merging with Air India.