DELHI- Tata Group-backed Air India (AI) will deploy Vistara (UK) narrowbody aircraft on metro routes to compete with IndiGo Airlines (6E), as it will introduce newly-launched IndiGo Strech, a Business class product on the busiest routes.
Vistara will completely merge with Air India on November 12, 2024, but you can still fly on Vistara aircraft as flights operated using Vistara aircraft will be designated as “AI2”.
Air India Vistara Aircraft Routes
Vistara’s newer narrowbody planes will exclusively serve metro-to-metro routes, while Air India’s older fleet will operate non-metro segments.
In long-haul offerings, Vistara’s 787 aircraft will exclusively serve Frankfurt (FRA) and London Heathrow (LHR) routes, while Air India’s fleet maintains operations on remaining international routes, including Paris (CDG) services currently operated by Vistara.
The deployment strategy aims to maintain service consistency during Air India’s ongoing fleet refurbishment program. The carrier plans to upgrade 27 narrow-body aircraft by June, implementing new carpets, curtains, upholstery, cabin panels, and enhanced lighting systems.
Air India’s refitted A320neo aircraft will feature a 3-class configuration, delivering passengers more seating options. The new cabin design includes:
- 8 Business class seats,
- 24 Premium Economy seats with extra legroom, and
- 132 Economy seats.
Fleet age analysis reveals significant disparities between the carriers. Vistara operates a fleet of 63 A320 and A321 narrow-body aircraft averaging 2.6 to 3.8 years, with seven Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners averaging 4 years.
Air India’s fleet shows higher age profiles: A319s (24 aircraft) average 16.2 years, A321s (24 aircraft) average 12.2 years, and A320s (95 aircraft) average 5.5 years.
Post-merger, Air India will have a fleet of 210 aircraft, which will include 67 widebody aircraft and remaining narrow-body planes.
Further, Air India serves over 100 destinations, while Vistara operates flights to 50 destinations, however, many of them overlap with each other and it will be interesting to see how many destinations will be served by Air India post-merger.
Similarly, Air India Express (IX) serves around 46 destinations, again some of them overlap with Air India and they are streamlining the flight network to avoid competing with each other.
‘Fear of Losing Passengers to IndiGo’
Air India adopts targeted fleet allocation to ensure service consistency across its network. The airline prioritizes Vistara’s modern aircraft for high-yield routes connecting Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru until Air India completes its fleet refurbishment program.
Supply chain disruptions in the aviation industry have delayed wide-body aircraft renovations, while narrow-body upgrades remain on schedule for completion next year. This timing coincides with IndiGo’s entry into the premium market segment, as the market leader launches business-class services between Delhi and Mumbai in November.
IndiGo’s expansion includes plans for enhanced seating comfort and meal service across 12 domestic routes, directly targeting India’s growing middle-class market and Air India’s premium passenger base. The carrier currently handles 63% of domestic passenger traffic.
The Tata Group’s decision to merge Vistara into Air India has sparked concerns among Vistara’s customer base regarding service quality maintenance
Despite Vistara’s acclaimed service standards and positive customer reviews throughout its operations, the airline struggled to achieve profitability during its nine-year run, highlighting the challenges of premium service delivery in India’s price-sensitive aviation market.
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