Air India Chief: Vistara Experience Remains; Routes To Use 'AI2' Code

Air India chief Campbell Wilson on Friday said "Vistara in-flight experience is not going away" and the routes serviced by Vistara will have the flight code 'AI2' post merger.

The merger of the two full service carriers is scheduled to be completed on Nov. 12, following which Singapore Airlines will have a 25.1% stake in Air India. Vistara is a joint venture between Tata Group and Singapore Airlines.

Post the merger, the vintage 'Maharaja' will be retained through the frequent flyer programme of the integrated entity.

"The existing members of Club Vistara will be seamlessly transferred to Air India's Flying Returns program. With this merger, Flying Returns will also evolve into an all-new avatar 'Maharaja Club'," Air India said in a statement on Friday.

In a message sent to Vistara customers on Friday, Wilson said they can continue to enjoy the same world-class fleet, exceptional service, and familiar faces under the new code 'AI2XXX'.

"With the merger on the horizon and the changes that come with it, we wanted to assure you that your Vistara in-flight experience is not going away. You can continue to enjoy the same world-class fleet, exceptional service, and familiar faces under the new code AI2XXX," the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Air India said.

In the statement, Air India said the routes and schedule operated by Vistara aircraft will continue to be the same, alongside the airline's in-flight experience that includes the product and service such as menu and cutlery on the Vistara aircraft.

There are concerns in certain quarters on whether Vistara passengers will continue to get the same services like now, post-merger as Air India, which is in the transformation phase, has been facing certain service issues in recent times.

Air India, in the statement, reiterated that the experience offered by Vistara will continue for customers post merger and that Vistara will be identified by a special four-digit Air India code beginning with the digit '2'.

"For instance, UK 955 will become AI 2955 helping customers identify them while booking... after Nov. 12," it said.

On Wednesday, Vistara Chairman Bhaskar Bhat said the integrated entity will share the best practices of the two airlines and the livery of Vistara will stay for some time.

The Air India-Vistara merger, announced in Nov. 2022, will also see Singapore Airlines acquiring a 25.1% stake in the merged entity.