Vistara

It's an eternal mystery. Aviation is one of the world's most precarious businesses, yet it continues to attract investors

Marking a significant consolidation in the fast-growing Indian aviation space, Air India on Tuesday completed the Vistara merger to create an integrated airline, partly owned by Singapore Airlines, that will be flying over 1,20,000 passengers daily and connect more than 90 destinations. The completion of the much-awaited amalgamation, which was announced in November 2022, comes within six weeks of the integration of Air India Express and AIX Connect. The two mergers have created a full service carrier and a low-cost carrier of scale for the Tata Group, which is seeking to establish a "world class global aviation company with an Indian heart". Earlier in the day, the nearly 10-year-old Vistara -- a joint venture between Tatas and Singapore Airlines -- flew into the sunset and its last flight was from Delhi to Singapore. As part of the merger, Singapore Airlines (SIA) will invest an additional Rs 3,194.5 crore in the enlarged entity. The enlarged Air India will operate over 5,600 wee

Air India-Vistara merger: The combined airline will service 103 domestic and 71 international routes

The flight, UK 782, departed from Odisha's Biju Patnaik International Airport at 8.30 pm, and landed at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport at 10.55 pm

A section of Air India pilots is unhappy in the run-up to the Vistara merger over different retirement age limits for pilots of the two Tata Group-owned airlines as the management is yet to address the issue, according to sources. At Air India, which was owned by the government since the 1950s and came into the Tata fold in 2022, the retirement age for pilots and other staff is 58 years, whereas at Vistara it is 60 years. Vistara -- jointly owned by Tata Group and Singapore Airlines -- is set to be merged with Air India on November 11 as part of the salt-to-steel conglomerate's consolidation of its aviation business. The sources said resentment is brewing among a section of Air India pilots as the management is yet to formulate a common superannuation age for the integrated entity. Air India did not comment on the issue. "There is a lot of resentment among a section of Air India pilots ahead of the Vistara merger over the retirement age limit. "While the management was prompt in

Singapore Airlines will make an additional investment of Rs 3,194.5 crore in Tata Group-owned Air India post-merger of Vistara in November. The merger, announced on November 29, 2022, and set to be completed on November 11, 2024, will result in Singapore Airlines having a 25.1 per cent stake in the enlarged Air India. Full-service carrier Vistara, which started flying on January 9, 2015, is a joint venture between Tatas and Singapore Airlines, where the latter holds a 49 per cent shareholding. Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group on Friday said its consideration for the merger comprises the 49 per cent interest in Vistara and Rs 20,585 million (Rs 2,058.5 crore) in cash in exchange for a 25.1 per cent equity interest in the enlarged Air India. Post-merger, SIA expects to recognise a non-cash accounting gain of around 1.1 billion Singapore dollars and also start equity accounting for its share of Air India's financial results. According to a release on Friday, the merger includes an ...

When Vistara folds up into the Air India Group on Monday, the number of full service carriers in the fast-growing Indian aviation space will come down to just one from five in a span of over 17 years. Also, the merger -- that will see Vistara's 49 per cent owner Singapore Airlines holding 25.1 per cent stake in Air India post the merger-- will mark the sunset of another Indian airline jointly owned by an overseas carrier after the liberalisation of foreign direct investment norms. In 2012, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh-led UPA government allowed foreign airlines to buy up to 49 per cent in a domestic carrier, which later resulted in the now defunct Jet Airways securing 24 per cent stake from Gulf carrier Etihad besides the birth of AirAsia India and Vistara. Vistara is also the only full-service carrier to start operations in the last 10 years. Since the merger of full-service carrier (FSC) Indian Airlines with Air India in 2007, at least five FSCs dotted the Indian skies. As year

Air India Group on Friday announced a rejig at the senior management level ahead of the merger of Vistara with Air India. As part of this exercise, Vistara chief executive officer Vinod Kanan, who has also been holding the role of Chief Integration Officer for the merger of the two entities, will continue in the latter role post-merger. Besides, he will be a member of the management committee and report directly to Air India CEO Campbell Wilson, a statement said. Full-service carrier Vistara, which is a 51:49 per cent joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, is all set to merge with Air India on November 12. It also said that Deepak Rajawat, Chief Commercial Officer of Vistara will take up the position of Chief Financial Officer at the low-cost arm Air India Express, reporting to its chief executive officer Aloke Singh and also support Air India Group CFO Sanjay Sharma in strategic initiatives and projects. Consequently, Vikas Agarwal, the current CFO of Air India .

Air India has deployed additional resources, including help desk kiosks, at touch points and airports to ensure a smooth experience for Vistara passengers post its merger with the airline next week, an official said on Wednesday. Full-service carriers -- Air India and Vistara, a joint venture between Tatas and Singapore Airlines -- set to be merged on November 11. Post-merger, the routes and schedule operated by Vistara and the Vistara in-flight experience will remain the same. Also, Vistara aircraft will be identified by a special four-digit Air India code beginning with the digit '2'. The official in the know said Air India deployed additional resources across touch points in India, including help desk kiosks, at the curbside before terminal entry at hubs and metro city airports. There will be "customer support staff wearing 'How may I assist you?' Air India x Vistara branded t-shirts for support", the official added. In due course, Vistara airport ticketing offices and check-in

Ahead of its scheduled merger with Vistara in November, Air India introduced a new layover policy for cabin crew requiring some to share rooms during layovers, effective December 1

Experts say the merged entity will draw on USPs of both firms

More than 140 systems have been integrated and 2.7 lakh reservations made by Vistara passengers have been moved to the Air India system, ahead of the two airlines' merger next month. Air India's Chief Digital & Technology Officer Satya Ramaswamy on Tuesday said significant efforts are being made to comprehensively address Vistara customers' experience across all digital systems post-merger. At a select media briefing, he also said that 2.7 lakh reservations made by Vistara passengers have been moved to Air India, and more than 140 systems have been integrated. Among others, more than 4.5 million loyalty members of Vistara have already migrated to the Air India system. "On the technology side, the Air India systems are at a different level... that is the system the customers will use. The Vistara experience in other areas like aircraft and services will be the same... we will take the best from both airlines," Ramaswamy said. Last week, Air India said Vistara routes and schedule as

When Afghan airspace officials were notified of the 'non-specific' bomb threat, they refused permission for the Vistara flight to pass through

These false bomb threats have caused significant financial losses for airlines, estimated in crores

Over the past several days, nearly 40 flights operated by Indian carriers have faced bomb threats, all of which have been hoaxes so far

A London-bound Vistara flight from Delhi was diverted to Frankfurt on Friday following a bomb threat. In a statement early Saturday morning, an airline spokesperson said the flight landed safely at the Frankfurt airport and mandatory checks are being conducted. The flight will continue to its destination once cleared by the security agencies. "Vistara flight UK17 operating from Delhi to London on October 18, 2024 received a security threat on social media. In line with the protocol, all relevant authorities were immediately informed and as a precautionary measure, the pilots decided to divert the flight to Frankfurt," the spokesperson said. According to an official in the know, the flight had received a bomb threat. Meanwhile, Akasa Air said its flight QP 1366 scheduled to fly from Bengaluru to Mumbai on Friday received a security alert shortly before departure. "Hence as per safety and security procedures, all passengers had to be deplaned as the local authorities followed necess

Air India has taken the step to reassure Vistara passengers concerned over quality

Air India on Friday said Vistara routes and schedule as well as the in-flight experience will continue and the flights operated with Vistara planes will have the code 'AI2' post-merger. The merger of the two full service carriers is scheduled to be completed on November 12, following which Singapore Airlines will have a 25.1 per cent stake in Air India. Vistara is a joint venture between Tata Group and Singapore Airlines. Post the merger, the vintage 'Maharaja' will be retained through the frequent flyer programme of the integrated entity. "The existing members of Club Vistara will be seamlessly transferred to Air India's Flying Returns program. With this merger, Flying Returns will also evolve into an all-new avatar 'Maharaja Club'," Air India said in the statement. Reiterating that the experience offered by Vistara will continue for customers post-merger, Air India said Vistara will be identified by a special four-digit Air India code beginning with the digit '2'. "For instance

A Mumbai-bound Vistara flight with 147 persons on board made an emergency landing here on Wednesday upon its arrival from Frankfurt in Germany following a bomb threat to the aircraft, a source said. The Boeing 787 aircraft was immediately taken to the isolation bay for mandatory security checks, according to the source. The flight landed safely at 7.45 am. There were 134 passengers and 13 crew on board the aircraft, as per sources. "Vistara Frankfurt flight, which had departed for Mumbai from Frankfurt on Tuesday at 8.20 pm (local time) made an emergency landing here at around 7.45 am on Wednesday," a source said. Vistara, in a statement, said that its Frankfurt-Mumbai flight received a security alert but landed safely here. "The Vistara flight UK 028 operating from Frankfurt to Mumbai on October 16, 2024 was subject to a security threat received on social media," the airline said. As per the protocol, all relevant authorities were immediately informed, it said, adding the aircr

Its 'differentiation' was dealing with customers inside and outside aircraft, he says