Even as full-service carrier Vistara is set to merge with Air India after November 11, the latter said the experience would continue for customers on Friday. The Vistara aircraft will be run by Air India under a special four-digit code beginning with ‘2’.
For instance, UK 955 will become AI 2955, helping customers identify them while booking on www.airindia.com after November 12, Air India said in a statement on Friday.
“The routes and schedule operated by Vistara aircraft will continue to be the same, alongside the Vistara in-flight experience that includes the product and service such as menu and cutlery on the Vistara aircraft. It will also be serviced by the same crew,” Air India stated.
Vistara is going to shut its operations after November 11, following the parent firm Tata Group’s decision to merge the airline with Air India. The move is part of the Tata Group’s efforts to consolidate its all airline businesses under the ‘Air India’ brand.
In August 2024, the central government cleared the last roadblock to national carrier Air India Ltd’s merger with smaller rival Vistara, approving a S$360 million ($276 million) investment by Singapore Airlines Ltd. into the new combined carrier. The FDI nod paves the way for Singapore Airlines’ investment worth S$360 million ($276 million) into the new combined carrier.
The airline, through a multi-media campaign, also pointed out that the unified Air India opens up limitless possibilities for passengers including unparalleled connection to over 90 domestic and international destinations and over 800 more destinations through codeshare and interline partners, it said.
“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 stated.
Air India has started its retrofit program with the first A320neo narrow-body aircraft going for retrofit in early September. A total of 27 narrow-body legacy aircraft will be refurbished and retrofitted and this retrofit is likely to be completed by the middle of 2025, it said.
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