Air India and Vistara Merger Complete: A New Era for Indian Aviation
Air India’s merger with Vistara has officially been completed, creating a single, unified full-service carrier poised to expand its footprint in the rapidly evolving Indian aviation market. The merger marks a significant milestone for both airlines, culminating in Vistara’s final flight on November 11, 2024, and the first joint operation as Air India on the same day.
The inaugural flight of the newly merged Air India took place on November 11, when a Vistara Airbus A321neo, now operating under Air India’s banner, departed Doha’s Hamad International Airport (DOH) at 22:07 and landed in Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) at 04:02 the following morning.
This flight, now officially under Air India’s operations, carried the flight code AI 2286, with the airline updating the codes of all flights operated by former Vistara aircraft by appending a “2” to the original flight number.
With the merger, Air India is set to cater to approximately 115,000 passengers who had already booked Vistara tickets. From November 11 onward, all future bookings that would have been made under the Vistara brand are being redirected to the Air India website.
Passengers will continue to travel on the same routes and schedules as before, with the key change being the flight codes, now reflecting Air India’s system.
To ensure a smooth transition for passengers, Air India rolled out comprehensive support initiatives. The airline set up help desks at major metro airports, particularly at hubs where the changeover could cause confusion.
Staff wearing Air India and Vistara branded t-shirts were stationed to assist passengers, providing information and answering queries regarding the merger and the impact on travel plans.
This merger is part of a broader strategic shift by the Tata Group to streamline and strengthen its aviation portfolio. Prior to the Air India-Vistara consolidation, Tata Group successfully merged Air India Express with AIX Connect (formerly AirAsia India), creating a more cohesive operational structure.
The result is a unified aviation group with both a full-service and a low-cost carrier under its umbrella.
Following the completion of the Vistara merger, Air India now boasts a fleet of 208 aircraft, operating more than 5,600 weekly flights across over 90 domestic and international destinations. On a daily basis, Air India will now transport more than 120,000 passengers.
When considering the broader Air India Group, which includes its low-cost subsidiary Air India Express, the total number of weekly flights rises to over 8,300 across 312 routes and 100 destinations worldwide.
Campbell Wilson, Managing Director and CEO of Air India, emphasized that the merger not only strengthens the airline’s domestic and international presence but also positions it to better serve its growing customer base in an increasingly competitive global aviation market.
