The last flight of Vistara Airlines from Odisha took off for Delhi on Monday night. This marked the end of the airline’s operations from the state ahead of its merger with Air India.
Vistara’s UK 782 departed from Odisha’s Biju Patnaik International Airport at 8.30 pm, and landed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport at 10.55 pm.
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In a post on social media platform X, Vistara thanked passengers for their continued support.
“Thank you for being part of this unforgettable journey and showering us with your #VistaraLove. We will forever cherish these memories. Please follow @airindia for all the latest updates,” it said.
To ensure a seamless transition for customers, the airlines have made comprehensive arrangements on the ground.
Post this merger, Vistara flights will be operated by Air India and identified by a special four-digit Air India code starting with the digit 2.
Vistara’s routes and schedules will remain unchanged, and the in-flight experience, including products and services, will continue to be offered by the same crew.
In order to facilitate the transition, Air India has allocated additional resources across various touchpoints in India. The airline is also collaborating with partner airports to facilitate the transition.
Measures include help desk kiosks at curbside areas before terminal entry in hub and metro city airports.
Among other measures, Vistara’s airport ticketing offices and check-in terminals will progressively transition to Air India.
Further, advisory notices will be displayed on self-service kiosks, guiding passengers to select Air India for check-in for Vistara flights under the AI2 code starting November 12.
At international airports, customer support staff in branded T-shirts will be available, and signage will be posted near check-in desks to assist customers.
The customers contacting the Vistara call centre will be automatically redirected to Air India representatives to ensure a seamless experience during the transition.
In a separate development, Singapore Airlines is set to make an additional investment of Rs 3,194.5 crore in Tata Group-owned Air India post-merger of Vistara in November.
Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group said its consideration for the merger comprises the 49 per cent interest in Vistara and Rs 2,058.5 crore in cash in exchange for a 25.1 per cent equity interest in the enlarged Air India.