NEW DELHI: The first international flight of the newly merged Air India-Vistara entity, bearing flight code ‘AI2286,’ departed from Doha to Mumbai late Monday night.
The Airbus A321 took off from Doha around 10:07 pm local time and completed a journey of approximately three hours.
Following the international launch, the merged entity’s first domestic flight, AI2984, took off from Mumbai to Delhi early Tuesday at 1:30 am on an Airbus A320. To help passengers identify Vistara-operated flights within Air India’s network, the newly integrated flights use the code ‘AI2XXX’ for Vistara’s prior routes.
On Monday evening, Vistara’s final flight from Odisha took off from Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar, bound for Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. The flight, UK 782, departed at 8:30 pm, marking Vistara’s last standalone journey from the state as the airline completes its integration with Air India.
The merger between Air India and Vistara are both part of the Tata Group. Vistara, a joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, will see the latter retaining a 25.1% stake in the enlarged Air India. As part of the integration, Vistara’s existing routes, schedules, and in-flight experience will remain unchanged, ensuring continuity in service quality for passengers.
To ensure a smooth transition, Air India has deployed additional resources across major Indian airports. These staff members will guide Vistara customers with queries, particularly those with Vistara tickets, through the new system. Self-service kiosks now display advisory notices directing passengers to select Air India for check-in on AI2-coded Vistara flights, effective November 12.
At international airports, Air India has stationed branded support teams and signage near check-in areas to assist customers in navigating the new setup.
Over 4.5 million members of Vistara’s loyalty program are also being integrated into Air India’s frequent flyer program, ensuring loyalty rewards continue without interruption.