Air India-Vistara Merger: Will there be a change in Vistara’s livery? – Airlines/Aviation News

In a significant development for India’s aviation sector, Vistara, the joint venture between Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, has officially merged with Air India. With this merger, there are several questions around the change in Vistara livery. Travellers are wondering weather the iconic purple, gold, and white design that has become synonymous with Vistara will continue to adorn the aircrafts or not.

While the integration aims to streamline operations and expand service offerings, one notable aspect of the merger is the continuity of Vistara’s distinctive livery for the time being. Starting November 12, customers will no longer be able to book flights under the Vistara brand. However, reports suggest that Air India will continue to operate flights featuring Vistara’s livery and staffed by the same crew members who were previously with Vistara. Over time, the aircraft will undergo a gradual rebranding, and the pilots and crew will be integrated into Air India’s roster.

The process of rebranding involves downtime for aircrafts, which is especially challenging to schedule during peak travel seasons. Airlines typically avoid downtime during these busy periods, as they coincide with routine maintenance checks. For now, Vistara’s network and crews will remain unchanged, operating as they did before the merger. Passengers can still expect to fly on Vistara-branded aircraft, with Vistara staff onboard, until the transition is fully implemented early next year.

In the first month following the merger, Air India anticipates accommodating approximately 115,000 passengers who had booked their flights with Vistara. Additionally, 270,000 Vistara customers have already been transferred to Air India’s booking system. The process of integrating loyalty programs is also in progress, with more than 4.5 million Club Vistara members being moved to Air India’s Flying Returns program, which will soon be rebranded as the “Maharaja Club.”

As part of the merger, Singapore Airlines will acquire a 25.1% stake in Air India. The combined entity will operate a fleet of over 200 aircraft, providing connectivity to 90 destinations across domestic and international routes.

Since the Tata Group’s acquisition, both Air India and Vistara have seen their annual losses cut by more than 50% over the past year, with other key performance indicators also showing significant improvement. However, the merger process has faced its share of challenges and has been anything but smooth.

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