New Delhi: ‘Kal Ho Na Ho’—The song played in the background as Vistara’s Goa-Bengaluru flight landed at its destination on Sunday, a day before the carrier’s time in the Indian aviation landscape was to come to an end. On Monday, Vistara—which won hearts with its premium service—is running its final flights before merging with Air India.
As the plane ascends, so do our dreams; let’s glide toward the future, where the sky isn’t the limit, but just the beginning.#ToLimitlessPossibilities pic.twitter.com/FByzY4PaPR
— Vistara (@airvistara) November 11, 2024
The full-service carrier—a 51:49 per cent joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines— is all set to merge with Air India on November 12 (Tuesday). A strategic decision by the Tata Group, the merger brings together two giants of Indian aviation and shifts the landscape. With this, Air India will become the country’s sole full-service carrier. The Singapore Airlines will now retain a 25.1% stake in the airlines.
Farewell to Vistara ❤️🩹
India’s finest domestic airline, as it takes its final flight today
Since 2015, Vistara has set new standards for service and comfort in Indian🇮🇳 skies
Thank you, Vistara, for making every journey memorable! 💜
Let us fly high to new horizons with Air… pic.twitter.com/MsenFCAK0y
— Parth Suba (@parthsuba77) November 10, 2024
“Thank you #team Vistara – TATA SIA Airlines Ltd. Past and present. Thank you to our ~75million passengers for your support, patronage and touching testimonials. Humbled and honoured to have been part of this team. Onwards and upwards towards our new chapter. The new feeling has a new home,” said Vinod Kannan, Chief Executive Officer at Vistara – TATA SIA Airlines Ltd wrote in a LinkedIn post.
Passengers with Vistara ticket will fly under Air India name
The merger will not affect over 115,000 passengers, who already hold Vistara tickets for flights scheduled after today (Monday). They will now be flying under the Air India name. Although the carrier’s branding will change, the group has claimed in reports that the overall service and onboard experience will be remain largely unchanged.
Helpdesks at airports for smooth transition, new flight codes
To aid passengers during this transition, Vistara has set up help desks at several airports. Passengers can get information about their flights, check-in procedures, and other services at these helpdesks. At international airports, there will be new signage to guide passengers. The Vistara customer contact centre will also route calls to Air India’s representatives for any enquiries. Vistara flights will now use Air India flight codes, which start with ‘2.’
All of this is what made Vistara special. God speed is it moves into the arms of its big brother. pic.twitter.com/Mfhl2Zz9VK
— Sanjiv Kapoor (@TheSanjivKapoor) November 9, 2024
Looking back at Vistara’s journey, here are a few points:
- Vistara was born in 2015 after the Indian government, under the UPA administration, allowed foreign airlines to acquire up to 49% in domestic airlines.
- It was India’s only full-service airline to emerge in the past decade, bringing a premium flying experience to domestic and international travellers.
- Since Vistara’s launch, India’s airline industry faced many ups and downs. Several airlines, including Kingfisher and Air Sahara (which was later rebranded as JetLite), ceased operations. Jet Airways grounded flights in 2019 after 25 years due to financial crisis. But, Vistara managed to survive.
- A true retro livery was missing in the Indian aviation sector, until Vistara got one in September 2018.
- The airline became the first and only carrier to order and operate the 787-9 Dreamliner in India. While Air India was one of the early customers of the Dreamliner, all its 27 aircraft are 787-8 variants. This was also the first widebody aircraft in India to have the Premium Economy cabin.
- With CFM-powered A320neos, Vistara was the first and only airline to have a modern fleet in Indian skies. Later, Akasa Air which ordered the MAX aircraft.
