Indian carrier Vistara will operate as part of Air India from 11 November, following the long-anticipated merger between the two carriers.
From 3 September, passengers will progressively not be able to book tickets on Vistara for flights on or after 12 November, says the carrier.
“Cross-functional teams from Air India and Vistara have been working together for many months to make the transition of aircraft, flying crew, ground-based colleagues and, most importantly, our valued customers, into the new Air India as seamless as possible,” says Air India chief executive Campbell Wilson.
“The joint team looks forward to offering our guests an expanded network, additional flight options, an enhanced frequent flyer programme and the best of both antecedent airlines and are grateful for the support of our loyal customers through this next phase of building a world class, world scale, global airline with an Indian heart.”
The Vistara news follows an earlier statement by Singapore Airlines, stating that India’s government had cleared it to hold a stake of 25.1% in the merged Air India – a key regulatory hurdle to finalising the merger.
SIA owns 49% of Vistara, while Air India parent Tata owns 51%.
The merger is the main element of a broader combination of the Tata’s airline assets, which has also seen AirAsia India folded into Air India Express.
“We are immensely grateful to all our customers for their support and patronage over the last 10 years,” says Vistara chief executive Vinod Kannan.
“As we progress further in our growth journey, we want to emphasize that this merger is about offering them more choice with a larger fleet and a wider network, while elevating the overall travel experience. Vistara and Air India are committed to ensuring that this transition is smooth and hassle-free. We are excited about this new phase in our journey and look forward to welcoming our customers again soon – as Air India.”
