Starting Sept 3, customers will “progressively no longer be able to make bookings with Vistara for travel on or after Nov 12, 2024.All our flights thereafter will be operated by AI and bookings for them will be redirected to Air India’s website from ours… Our operations continue as usual till Nov 11, 2024,” Vistara said in an internal note to employees on Friday. Vistara frequent flyer miles are being merged into the AI programme.
Customers already booked on Vistara flights after Nov 12 will have their reservations converted to AI flight numbers. “…This will occur in phases during Sept, and customers will be individually informed when this occurs… even though in nearly all cases the aircraft, schedule and operating crew will be unchanged until early 2025,” AI CEO Campbell Wilson said in email to employees on Friday.
The merger date was communicated soon after India approved SIA’s FDI. In a statement, SIA, which owned 49% in Vistara, said on Friday: “SIA and Tata Sons are firmly committed to supporting the growth and success of AI Group, which post-merger will have a significant presence in all key Indian airline market segments (full service, low-cost, international, and domestic). This merger will reinforce SIA’s multi-hub strategy and underscore its long-standing commitment to India through a direct stake in this large and rapidly growing aviation market,” the statement added.
While welcoming Vistara employees into the AI fold, Wilson urged them and AI staffers to “ensure that our collective customers and colleagues experience the smoothest of transitions.”
Wilson said: “The joint team looks forward to offering our guests an expanded network, additional flight options an enhanced frequent flyer programme… grateful for the support of our loyal customers through this next phase of building a world class, world scale, global airline with an Indian heart.”
