Air India-Vistara merger complete, to operate 5,600 weekly flights
Air India has successfully completed its merger with full-service carrier Vistara. The combined entity will now operate over 5,600 weekly flights across over 90 domestic and international destinations. The consolidation marks a major development in the Indian aviation sector, and a key milestone in Air India's post-privatization journey.
Singapore Airlines acquires stake in Air India
As a result of the merger, Singapore Airlines has taken a 25.1% stake in the enlarged Air India. This comes after the two airlines successfully integrated operations under the Air India brand. "Air India Group has completed the operational integration and legal merger between Air India and Vistara, creating a full-service carrier of scale," Air India said in a statement.
Merger marks significant milestone in post-privatization journey
The merger marks another major milestone in the post-privatization transformation journey of Air India Group. This comes after the Group's low-cost airlines Air India Express and AIX Connect (formerly Air Asia India) merged on October 1, 2024. Vistara was a joint venture of Tatas and Singapore Airlines before it was integrated into Air India.
MD and CEO comments on merger
Air India's Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Campbell Wilson, said the merger signifies the conclusion of the consolidation and restructuring phase of Air India Group's post-privatization transformation journey. He commended the efforts of teams across all airlines for their collaboration in ensuring a seamless transition for employees, assets, operations, and customers.
Air India's post-merger operations and future plans
Post-merger, the Tata-owned airlines operate as one full-service and one low-cost airline under a five-year program, Vihaan.AI. The group operates over 8,300 weekly flights on 312 routes, covering more than 100 domestic and international destinations with a fleet of 300 aircraft. It also provides extended worldwide connectivity to over 800 destinations via more than 75 codeshare and interline partners.
Air India's investment in new aircraft and facilities
The group has invested in more than 500 new aircraft and plans a $400 million interior retrofit program for legacy aircraft. It has also opened a new 600,000-square-foot training facility that can train 2,000 employees a day. Meanwhile, a 12-bay maintenance base is under construction and will be operational in early 2026.
