Air India announced on Friday that Vistara's routes and schedules, along with its in-flight experience, will continue after the merger of the two airlines. Flights operated with Vistara aircraft will carry the code 'AI2' following the integration, the firm said.
The merger between the two full-service carriers is set to be completed on November 12, after which Singapore Airlines will hold a 25.1 per cent stake in Air India. Vistara, a joint venture between Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, will retain the iconic 'Maharaja' branding through the frequent flyer program of the new entity.
Air India stated that existing members of Club Vistara will be seamlessly transferred to Air India's Flying Returns program. With this merger, Flying Returns will be revamped into a new format called 'Maharaja Club.'
Reassuring customers, Air India stressed that the Vistara experience will remain intact post-merger, with Vistara flights assigned a special four-digit Air India code starting with '2.' "For instance, UK 955 will become AI 2955 helping customers identify them while booking... after November 12," the airline said in a statement.
The routes and schedules currently operated by Vistara will remain unchanged, as will the airline's in-flight services, including menu options and cutlery.
However, some concerns have been raised regarding whether Vistara passengers will continue to receive the same level of service after the merger, especially since Air India has been facing service challenges during its transformation phase. On October 2, Air India reiterated that the Vistara experience would continue.
Vistara Chairman Bhaskar Bhat stated on Wednesday that the merged entity will incorporate the best practices from both airlines, and Vistara's livery will be retained for some time.
The Air India-Vistara merger, first announced in November 2022, will also see Singapore Airlines acquiring a 25.1 per cent stake in the combined entity.