Following the merger of Vistara with Air India, which is set to be concluded soon, passengers will only be able to book tickets till September 3 for flights that will be operating till November 11.
The airline said that all Vistara aircraft will be integrated into Air India’s operations and bookings for routes currently served by it will be redirected to Air India’s website.
“Vistara will continue to operate flights and accept bookings as usual until November 11, 2024,” the airline said.
All Vistara passengers, on and after November 12, that is when the merger will be completed, will fly with Air India.
The announcement followed soon after Singapore International Airlines sharing an update on the merger and informing in a press statement that the Indian government had given its nod for its FDI into Air India.
Tata Sons Pvt. Ltd. will hold 73.38% stake in the merged entity, and Singapore Airlines another 25.1%.
“This approval, along with other governmental and regulatory approvals received to-date, marks a significant development towards the completion of the merger,” the SIA said in a statement.
“We are immensely grateful to all our customers for their support and patronage over the last 10 years. As we progress further in our growth journey, we want to emphasize that this merger is about offering them more choice with a larger fleet and a wider network, while elevating the overall travel experience,” said Vinod Kannan, Vistara CEO.
Will Vistara Customers Be Affected?
The airline also said that customers will be provided regular updates via websites and social media channels of Vistara and Air India, and e-mail, as the merger process moves ahead,
“This includes information on web check-in, lounge access, ancillary services, and all other possible touchpoints. All efforts will be made by the dedicated teams across both airlines to ensure a seamless transition,” Vistara said.
On June 6, the NCLT in an order granted its approval for the merger and allowed a period of nine months for the dissolution of the former. Vistara’s flying permit from the Director General Civil Aviation (DGCA) expires in December 2024.
In September 2023, the deal received approval from the Competition Commission of India (CCI), subject to certain conditions.
