Goodbye, Vistara! Airline operates last flights before merger with Air India

Fullservice airline Vistara will operate its last flights today as it will be merged with the Air India Group on TuesdayNational carrier Air India has announced that flights operated by Vistara will start using the flight code AI2 after the merger of the two airlinesAfter the merger Singapore Airlines will have a 251 per cent stake in Tata Groupowned Air India In 2015 Vistara was set up as a JV with Singapore Airlines 49 per cent stakeDespite the integration on November 12 the Vistara experience will remain the same said the Tata Groupowned airline The merger involves Vistara a joint venture between Tata Group and Singapore Airlines and Air IndiaCurrently Air India uses the airline code AI while Vistara uses lsquoUKrsquo According to the company both the airlines have been working hard for over a year to ensure that the merger of the legal and regulated entities is seamless for both customers and staffldquoThough the legal entities and Air Operator Certificates will become one on 12 November the Vistara experience will remain Vistara aircraft crew and service will continue to operate as before but with AI2XXX flight numbers bookable via airindiacom said an Air India spokesperson in a statementIn parallel Air Indiarsquos narrowbody fleet will continue to be upgraded with new aircraft being delivered legacy aircraft being refitted with entirely new interiors and Vistararsquos catering now also extended to Air IndialdquoWe look forward to drawing upon the proud legacies and best practices of both airlines as we form a new airline group of which India can be proudrdquo the spokesperson addedIn July this year Air India said it had completed harmonising operating procedures across key functions for the four Tata Group airlines as a crucial step towards the merger Vistara a joint venture between Tata Group 51 per cent and Singapore Airlines 49 per cent is being merged into Air India to create a single fullservice carrierSingapore Airlines has stated that it will invest Rs 31945 crore in Air India following the anticipated merger of Vistara with the Tata Group owned airlineVistara was set up in 2015 as a joint venture with Singapore Airlines holding a 49 per cent stake in the Indian carrier and the Tata Group owning a majority 51 per cent share Singapore Airlines will own a 251 per cent stake in Air IndiaAt the same time Air Indias subsidiaries AIX Connect formerly Air Asia and Air India Express have merged to form a single lowbudget airlineThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever