GURUGRAM- From November 12, 2024, there will be no Vistara, as it merges with Air India (AI) to form a bigger and only full-service entity in the country.
Following this, Air India made changes to some international flights that are operated by Vistara. See there are other changes as well, but these are the latest changes and do not give a complete list of updates.
Air India Vistara International Routes Swap
The Gurugram-based carrier has made several network adjustments for the period between November 12 and December 31, 2024, as reported by X user BOMLHR and they are as follows:
- Air India is introducing its Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner on the Delhi-Bali route, enhancing connectivity to this popular Indonesian destination.
- Air India will temporarily deploy Vistara’s Boeing 787-9 aircraft on several key routes until December 31, 2024:
- Delhi – Paris (AI 143/144)
- Delhi – Frankfurt (AI 121/122)
- Delhi – Dubai (Two daily frequencies)
- Vistara will cease operations on two important European routes:
- Mumbai – Frankfurt
- Mumbai – Paris Charles de Gaulle
Apart from this, Air India has also made changes to other European routes which you can read here:
Air India Pilots Unhappy
In a separate development, reports have emerged that some Air India pilots are expressing frustration over differing retirement ages as the merger with Vistara approaches, according to sources.
Currently, Air India, under government ownership until its transfer to the Tata Group in 2022, sets the retirement age for pilots and other staff at 58. Vistara, co-owned by Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, has a retirement age of 60 for its pilots.
The Vistara-Air India merger, set for November 11, is part of Tata Group’s strategy to consolidate its aviation interests. However, sources indicate that Air India management has yet to establish a unified retirement age for the merged airline, fueling discontent among some Air India pilots.
According to DGCA regulations, pilots can work until age 65. In August, Air India introduced a policy allowing select pilots to continue on a five-year contract post-retirement, with potential extensions up to age 65. Some Air India pilots argue the management should raise their retirement age to 60 to address this discrepancy.
Air India pilots are also concerned about the merged seniority list, which, they claim, places some senior Air India pilots behind less-experienced Vistara pilots.
While some Vistara Pilots were unhappy with the pay they will get after the merger, you can learn more about salary here:
Singapore Airlines Investing in Air India Group
Singapore Airlines (SQ) or SIA will invest an additional ₹3,194.5 crore in Air India following the merger with Vistara, scheduled for November 11. This merger, announced on November 29, 2022, will give SIA a 25.1% stake in the combined Air India entity.
As part of the merger terms, SIA’s consideration includes its 49% stake in Vistara and ₹2,058.5 crore in cash for the equity interest. SIA also expects a non-cash accounting gain of around 1.1 billion Singapore dollars post-merger and will begin equity accounting for its stake in Air India’s financials.
The agreement includes SIA’s commitment to cover its share of Tata’s prior funding for Air India, totaling up to ₹5,020 crore, ensuring it maintains the 25.1% ownership. SIA’s new investment will amount to ₹3,194.5 crore (SGD 498 million), made through Air India shares in November 2024. SIA stated it will consider future investments based on Air India’s capital needs and funding options.
This merger marks a significant consolidation in India’s aviation sector, combining Air India’s and Vistara’s domestic, international, full-service, and low-cost operations. SIA sees this as an enhancement to its multi-hub strategy, allowing it greater access to India’s growing aviation market.
In line with this expansion, Air India and SIA recently extended their codeshare partnership to include 11 additional Indian cities and 40 international destinations.
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