‘Vistara aircraft and crew to move to Air India on November 12’

WITH regulatory approvals in place, Air India chief Campbell Wilson announced that November 12 has been set as the date for the transition of Vistara's aircraft and crew to Air India.

Vistara, a joint venture between Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, is merging with Air India, with the Singapore carrier holding a 25.1 per cent stake in Tata Group-owned Air India post-merger.

The government has approved the foreign direct investment by Singapore Airlines as part of this merger.

In a message to the staff on Friday, Wilson mentioned that the final phase of the merger process is now beginning.

The merger, first announced in November 2022, is entering its final stages.

Wilson stated that for Vistara flights scheduled on or after November 12, flight numbers will change to Air India ones, although the aircraft, schedules, and operating crew will remain mostly unchanged until early 2025.

To assist passengers during the merger process, a set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) has been prepared.

Starting September 3, passengers booking flights for travel on or after November 12 through Vistara's website will be redirected to Air India's site for completing their bookings.

"All customers already booked on Vistara flights after 12th November will automatically have their reservations converted to Air India flight numbers. This will occur in phases during September, and customers will be individually informed when this occurs," Wilson said.

He confirmed that with regulatory approvals secured, the transition of Vistara's aircraft and crew to Air India's Air Operator Certificate is scheduled for November 12.

"As we now embark on the final stretch of this long and complicated process, let's maintain the focus and effort to ensure that our collective customers and colleagues experience the smoothest of transitions," Wilson added.

(With inputs from PTI)