Vistara again sends senior employees on leave without pay for up to 3 days

Senior Vistara employees will go on compulsory leave without pay for up to three days between April 15 and April 30 to help save cash for the airline as it lies idle during India’s lockdown to contain the coronavirus, said CEO Leslie Thng on Wednesday.

The airline introduced on March 27compulsory leave without pay for up to three days between April 1 and April 14 for the same set of senior employees.

The compulsory no pay leave will affect around 1,200 employees in senior grades.

The remaining 2,800 employees of the airline such as members of cabin crew and ground handling services will be unaffected.

"With the announcement by the government of India on extending the lockdown, we continue to suspend all our domestic and international operations till 3rd May 2020 and this further impacted significantly on our cash flow with no revenue being generated over an extended period of time," Thng said in an email to employees, according to news agency PTI.

India’s suspension of domestic and international was extended till May 3 as Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that the nation would stay indoors till that day.

Vistara to launch international flights in the second half of 2019

Current Affairs
Full service carrier Vistara, which has been serving the Indian skies for more than four years, plans to launch international services in the second half of this year.
A joint venture between Tatas and Singapore Airlines, Vistara might also look at starting medium and long-haul flights, depending on approvals, amid the grounding of Jet Airways.
"We see India as a growing market. We are here for the long term," Vistara CEO Leslie Thng said on the sidelines of the annual general meeting of airlines' grouping IATA on Sunday.
Without providing specific details, he said the airline plans to start international operations in the second half of 2019.
It had planned to launch overseas flights in the first half of this year.
Currently, Vistara has more than 22 planes and operates around 850 flights every week.
Last month, the carrier announced it would take on lease four Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft and two A320 neo planes.
In 2018, Vistara placed its order for purchased and leased aircraft totalling 50 from the Airbus A320neo family, including A321neos.These would be for domestic as well as short and medium-haul international operations, with deliveries scheduled between 2019 and 2023.

 Further, the carrier has bought six Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft that are scheduled to be delivered between 2020 and 2021. These would operate long-haul international operations.Thng said, Vistara can start short-haul flights but would need more time for long-haul ones.

Vistara to raise frequency on existing domestic routes, says Leslie Thng

Companies News:

Vistara, joint venture of Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, is to raise its frequency on existing domestic routes, besides adding one or two destinations, Chief Executive Leslie Thng said.

It began flying in January 2015 and operates 130 daily flights, with 22 aircraft. Thng said they were aiming at double-digit capacity growth and would add six to 10 of Airbus’ A320neo planes in 2019. Deliveries will begin from the second half of the year. There is no plan to take more aircraft on lease.

The airline has 56 planes on order — 50 of Airbus (A320s and A321neos) and six of the Boeing 787-9s. It will induct the Boeing planes from the first quarter of 2020 and has begun training its pilots for this.

ALSO READ: Govt committee to decide if Vistara should get foreign flying permit


 “We are still waiting for final approval for international operations,” said the chief executive. The airline was originally aiming to ply abroad from the end of 2018. Government rules require an airline to have a minimum of 20 planes before this could be allowed. Vistara became eligible last year and had applied the civil aviation ministry in June, with a plan for flights to Bangkok, Phuket, Colombo and Male by the winter schedule of 2018...Read More