Air India and Vistara Complete Historic Merger, Creating a Major Global Aviation Powerhouse

• Merger of full-service airlines Air India and Vistara successfully completed on 12 November 2024, following the merger of the low-cost airlines Air India Express and AIX Connect (formerly Air Asia India) on 1 October 2024
• Post merger, Air India Group operates a combined fleet of 300 aircraft covering 55 domestic and 48 international destinations, with 312 routes and 8,300 flights per week. The collective staff strength stands at over 30,000
• The new full-service entity Air India operates over 5,600 weekly flights and connects more than 90 domestic and international destinations with a fleet of 208 aircraft. Low-cost entity Air India Express operates 2,700 weekly flights and connects more than 45 domestic and international destinations with a fleet of 90 aircraft
• Post merger, the experience offered by Vistara will continue for customers who may identify Vistara aircraft by a special four-digit Air India code beginning with the digit “2”

(IN SHORT) On November 12, 2024, Air India and Vistara successfully completed their merger, creating a significant global aviation group. The merger follows the earlier integration of Air India Express and AIX Connect. The newly unified Air India Group now operates a fleet of 300 aircraft and serves 55 domestic and 48 international destinations, with 8,300 weekly flights. The merger also brings Vistara’s premium services into Air India’s full-service network. As part of the transformation, Air India Group has invested in new aircraft, retrofitting its fleet, and enhancing its operational infrastructure. Singapore Airlines, formerly a major stakeholder in Vistara, now holds a 25.1% share in the Air India Group.

(PRESS RELEASE) Mumbai, India, 2024-Nov-15 — /Travel PR News/ — On November 12, 2024, Air India successfully concluded its merger with Vistara, marking a transformative milestone in the airline’s post-privatization journey. This integration follows the earlier merger of Air India Express and AIX Connect (formerly Air Asia India) on October 1, 2024. The new Air India Group now operates a combined fleet of 300 aircraft, covering 312 routes, and serving over 55 domestic and 48 international destinations, with 8,300 weekly flights. The unified entity strengthens its position as a major player in global aviation.

The merger brings together Air India’s full-service network with Vistara’s premium services, creating a robust carrier capable of serving over 120,000 passengers daily. With the consolidation, Air India will now offer expanded connectivity, with over 90 domestic and international destinations, and more than 75 codeshare and interline partners, providing access to more than 800 destinations worldwide.

The merger process, which began over two years ago, has been extensive, involving the integration of over 6,000 Vistara employees into the new organization, harmonizing operations across all four Tata-owned airlines, and unifying IT systems and vendor contracts. As a result, over 270,000 customer bookings were migrated and more than 4.5 million frequent flyer accounts from Vistara’s Club Vistara program were transferred to Air India’s newly rebranded Maharaja Club.

With the successful merger, the Air India Group has also made significant investments under its Vihaan.AI transformation program, including the addition of over 500 new aircraft and a $400 million retrofit program for existing fleet upgrades. A new state-of-the-art training facility capable of training 2,000 employees per day and a maintenance base set to open in 2026 further demonstrate the Group’s commitment to enhancing its operational capabilities.

Campbell Wilson, Managing Director & CEO of Air India, expressed his pride in the achievement, stating, “This merger marks the completion of a pivotal phase in Air India Group’s transformation. Our teams have worked tirelessly to ensure the smooth integration of people, operations, and services. We remain deeply grateful to our partners at the DGCA, MoCA, BCAS, and our dedicated staff, who continue to drive change while enhancing our fleet and services.”

Following the merger, Air India will continue operating as a full-service carrier, with Vistara aircraft now flying under the Air India brand. Vistara’s flight codes will transition to Air India’s system, with new four-digit flight numbers beginning with “2.” Vistara’s loyal customers will also find their memberships transferred to Air India’s Maharaja Club, strengthening the airline’s customer loyalty program.

As part of the deal, Singapore Airlines, which previously held a 49% stake in Vistara, now holds a 25.1% stake in the newly merged Air India Group.

Source: Air India

###

Subscribe to Notifications