Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Air India-Vistara merger complete, Singapore Airlines adds £29.54m investment

Earlier on Tuesday, Vistara, a joint venture between Tata and Singapore Airlines established nearly 10 years ago, made its final flight from Delhi to Singapore. (Representational image: Getty)
Earlier on Tuesday, Vistara, a joint venture between Tata and Singapore Airlines established nearly 10 years ago, made its final flight from Delhi to Singapore. (Representational image: Getty)

IN A MAJOR move in India’s aviation sector, Air India completed its merger with Vistara on Tuesday. This consolidation forms a single airline, partly owned by Singapore Airlines, that will serve over 1,20,000 passengers daily and connect more than 90 destinations.

This merger, announced in November 2022, follows the recent integration of Air India Express and AIX Connect. The Tata Group now has both a full-service carrier and a low-cost carrier, aiming to create a "world-class global aviation company with an Indian heart."


Earlier on Tuesday, Vistara, a joint venture between Tata and Singapore Airlines established nearly 10 years ago, made its final flight from Delhi to Singapore.

As part of the merger, Singapore Airlines will inject an additional £29.54 million into the combined airline, which will operate over 5,600 weekly flights with a fleet of 210 aircraft. According to an Air India release, the airline will connect more than 90 destinations and offer extended global connectivity to over 800 locations through 75+ codeshare and interline partnerships.

The merger positions the airline as India’s largest international carrier and the second-largest domestic airline. “Post-merger, Air India Group operates a combined fleet of 300 aircraft, covering 55 domestic and 48 international destinations with 8,300 flights weekly and employing over 30,000 people,” stated the release.

The Vistara flight code ‘UK’ has now been retired. However, Air India flights from the merged entity will include the prefix ‘AI2’ for customer choice, as Vistara had a strong reputation for its service quality, while Air India is undergoing transformation to improve its services.

Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said, "The merger of Air India and Vistara completes the consolidation and restructuring phase of the Air India Group's post-privatisation transformation journey. Over the past two years, teams across the four airlines have worked closely together... to ensure a smooth transition."

In the merged airline, Air India’s long-time mascot, the Maharaja, will continue in a different form. Club Vistara’s 4.5m frequent flyer accounts have also been integrated into Air India’s loyalty programme, now renamed as the ‘Maharaja Club.’

Additionally, over 4,000 vendor contracts have been streamlined, and 2,70,000 customer bookings have been migrated. Vistara’s final flights, including UK115 from Delhi to Singapore and UK986 from Mumbai to Delhi, marked the end of its journey on Tuesday, with the newly merged entity’s first flights, including AI2286 from Doha to Mumbai, already in operation.

This merger also represents the second major consolidation in India’s airline industry since 2006-2007, when Indian Airlines merged with Air India, and Air Sahara combined with Jet Airways. Air India is now the sole Indian full-service airline.

As of September, Air India, Vistara, and AIX Connect held a combined domestic market share of just over 29 per cent. Singapore Airlines has confirmed the merger and will continue to hold a 25.1 per cent stake in the newly combined Air India through an additional investment of £29.54m.

(With inputs from PTI)

More For You

single-use vapes-iStock

Analysis by Material Focus estimates that 8.2 million vapes are discarded or littered each week in the UK—equivalent to 13 every second. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Shops told to clear single-use vapes before ban starts on June 1

SHOPS across the UK have until 1 June 2025 to sell off remaining stocks of single-use vapes before a nationwide ban comes into force.

The legislation, confirmed last year, follows a government consultation that showed strong support for restricting their sale and supply.

Keep ReadingShow less
Trump’s Promise: TikTok Deal Before April 5 to Avoid Ban

This is not the first time that TikTok has been under scrutiny in the United States

Getty

Trump promises TikTok deal before April 5 to prevent ban

As the clock ticks towards the April 5 deadline, the future of TikTok in the United States remains uncertain, with President Donald Trump promising that a deal to resolve the app's ongoing issues will be struck before the deadline. The central issue at hand is whether TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, will be forced to divest the popular social media platform or face a ban in the U.S.

In a statement made aboard Air Force One late on Sunday, Trump confirmed that there was "tremendous interest" from potential buyers looking to acquire TikTok. He expressed his desire for the platform to "remain alive" and emphasized that multiple buyers were keen on striking a deal, suggesting that a solution would be reached before the deadline.

Keep ReadingShow less
Primark-London-Getty

During his 15-year tenure, Marchant expanded Primark’s store network to more than 450 locations across 17 countries in Europe and the United States. (Photo: Reuters)

Primark chief Paul Marchant steps down after misconduct probe

PAUL MARCHANT, the head of fashion retailer Primark, has resigned with immediate effect after admitting to an "error of judgment" in his behaviour towards a woman in a social setting.

Associated British Foods (AB Foods), Primark's parent company, announced his resignation on Monday.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jaguar’s bold gamble: Can it woo young, wealthy drivers with a £123k EV?

Jaguar’s bold gamble: Can it woo young, wealthy drivers with a £123k EV?

JAGUAR’S ambition to seduce younger, richer drivers was on full display in Paris with a presentation of its newest prototype, the Type 00, which promises all-electric luxury... at a steep price.

The low-slung, muscular-looking concept car presented to European reporters last Friday (21) prefigures a production model expected mid-2026 at a base cost of €150,000 (£123,472.8).

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer-Trump-Getty

Trump has suggested the possibility of a 'great' trade deal that could help the UK mitigate the impact of tariffs he has pledged to introduce. (Photo: Getty Images)

Starmer, Trump talk trade deal progress in 'productive' discussion

KEIR STARMER and Donald Trump spoke on Sunday about ongoing UK-US trade negotiations, with Downing Street describing the talks as "productive."

Since leaving the European Union, the UK has been working to secure a trade agreement with the United States. Successive British governments have pursued a deal, but it has remained elusive.

Keep ReadingShow less