Bad News For Flyers! Vistara Crisis Leads To Hikes In Ticket Prices By 25% On Key Routes

The Vistara crisis is not just a problem for the airline but also the flyers. The scaling down of operations by Vistara has led to a surge in airfares of other airlines on several key routes. Vistara Airlines has been facing significant disruptions with multiple flight cancellations and delays since the past week. These disruptions have been linked to its merger with Air India, triggering protests among pilots regarding revised contracts. Junior co-pilots are particularly concerned about facing a salary cut under the new agreement, sparking queries and unrest among pilot groups, said reports.

As per reports, many of its pilots called in sick, purportedly to express dissatisfaction over various issues. These included concerns about a new pay structure and grievances regarding a rostering system that they claimed was pushing them to their limits. In response to the challenges, Vistara announced a scale-down in its operations just ahead of the peak summer travel season. The airline revealed plans to reduce 25-30 flights daily, accounting for approximately 10% of its operational capacity. This reduction, primarily in its domestic network, was aimed at creating a more resilient and balanced crew roster.

Impact on Airfares

The scale-down in operations by Vistara has had a direct impact on airfares, particularly on key routes where the airline has a strong presence. According to a report by Indian Express,  there is a surge of around 20-25% in airfares on routes such as Delhi-Goa, Delhi-Kochi, Delhi-Jammu, and Delhi-Srinagar. This surge comes at a time when airfares were already on the higher side due to a demand-supply imbalance. Due to the flight disruptions at Vistara, same-day and day-ahead airfares on key routes reportedly spiked by over 30% impacted by flight cancellations. This sudden increase put pressure on affected passengers, leading them to scramble for available alternatives.