As Vistara and Air India prepare for their much-anticipated merger, passengers are facing a unique window of opportunity. With the integration set to finalise shortly, travellers can secure their seats on flights only until September 3, for journeys extending through November 11.
In an official statement, Vistara said, “Vistara and Air India are all set to take the next significant step in their integration journey. Starting September 3, 2024, customers will, progressively, no longer be able to make bookings with Vistara for travel on or after November 12, 2024. Vistara will continue to take bookings and operate flights, as usual, till November 11, 2024.”
India has recently removed the final roadblock to the merger of Air India and Vistara by authorising a $276 million investment from Singapore Airlines Ltd into the newly merged airline.
Vistara has announced that its final flight will take place on November 11. Following this date, Air India will take over all Vistara aircraft, and reservations for these flights will be transferred to Air India’s website.
Vistara’s chief executive, Vinod Kannan, expressed gratitude for the customer support over the past 10 years and said, “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. Vistara and Air India are committed to ensuring that this transition is smooth and hassle-free. We are excited about this new phase in our journey and look forward to welcoming our customers again soon — as Air India.”
What will happen to your ‘Club Vistara’ points?
As a result of the merger, Vistara’s frequent flyer programme, Club Vistara, will be phased out and merged with Air India’s Flying Returns programme. Until the transition is complete, Club Vistara will maintain its usual operations.
After the merger, Singapore Airlines will hold a 25.1 per cent stake in the newly combined Air India, investing over Rs 2,000 crore. The airline announced that it will keep customers informed with regular updates through the Vistara and Air India websites, social media channels, and email as the merger progresses.
The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) granted approval for the merger in June following conditional approval from Singapore’s competition regulator, the CCCS, in March.
In September 2023, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) also approved the deal, contingent on specific conditions.
First Published: Aug 30 2024 | 1:10 PM IST
