The much-talked about Air India-Vistara merger will be effective from today and marks a huge development in the Indian aviation sector. For the Tata Group, it’s a milestone worth celebrating as it gains full ownership over Air India after the merger with Singapore Airlines, its joint venture partner (Singapore Airlines will still keep a 25.1% stake in the new entity).
The newly-merged airline will fly a massive 1,20,000 people daily, while connecting 90+ destinations as well. True to the Tata Group’s vision of setting up a world-class global aviation company with an Indian heart, the full-service carrier will have extended global connectivity to 800+ destinations via 75+ codeshare and interline partners. It is now the biggest international carrier in India and the second-biggest domestic carrier as well. Of course, a mega transition like this comes with its own set of changes that you need to know about. Here’s looking at them below.
Changes Worth Noting
- These are some updates that will help if you’re a frequent Air India/Vistara traveller.
- There will be a new airline code for all flights operated earlier by Vistara. Watch out for AI 2955 instead of UK 955 for these flights earlier.
- No immediate changes are expected for flight schedules and routes, whether domestic or international. You can conveniently go ahead with your current travel itinerary minus any worries.
- Air India has also set up its help desk kiosks across leading airports in India. You can easily find these kiosks, with customer support personnel wearing t-shirts with the Air India x Vistara
- Standees and FIDS (flight information display screens) will help you quickly find check-in counters for Air India at all major counters. They are now the designated check-in counters for previous passengers with Vistara.
- The airport ticketing offices and terminals for check-in that were earlier under Vistara, will now function under Air India. You should thus look out for Air India branding when you reach the airport.
- If you call the Vistara customer support centre, your calls will be directed automatically to representatives from Air India.
- When it comes to loyalty programs, you’ll be surprised to know that 270,000+ passengers with Vistara have already shifted to Air India over the last few months. The other loyalty program members at Vistara (around 4.5 million people) are also being integrated into the frequent flyer program at Air India. Your existing flyer miles and benefits will thus be carried forward without any hassles.
- The frequent flyer scheme has now been rebranded as the Maharaja Club. This is a tribute to the famous Maharaja symbol of Air India in the past.
Some Other Updates
Vistara went on its last flight from Delhi to Singapore sometime earlier, with the code UK115. The last domestic flight was the UK986 to Delhi from Mumbai. The merged entity’s first flight was AI2286 to Mumbai from Doha.
There are reports of an additional investment by Singapore Airlines (SIA) in the newly-merged entity to the tune of Rs. 3,194,5 crore, while the new carrier will have 5,600+ weekly flights with a 210-strong aircraft fleet. Air India has also confirmed that the entire group will operate a total fleet of 300 aircraft after the merger, covering 48 international and 55 domestic destinations, in addition to 312 routes and 8,300 flights every week. The collective staff count now stands at more than 30,000 professionals, while 4,000 vendor contracts have also been consolidated.
This merger now brings together the Indian aviation sector’s biggest names, blending the vast network of Air India with Vistara’s premium positioning and services. With the new airline rolling out multiple initiatives to ease passengers through the transition, keeping an eye out for the above-mentioned changes will be helpful. Here’s to a smooth flying experience with the new Air India.
