Bringing Vistara’s best to merger with AI: Chandra

NEW DELHI: Amid teething troubles in Vistara’s Nov 12 merger into Air India that has seen some flights of the erstwhile airline getting delayed, Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran on Thursday assured people that AI is on its way to become a “world-class global airline with an Indian heart”. Since Oct 1, the Group has consolidated its airlines by first merging erstwhile AirAsia India into AI Express and then Vistara into AI.
Airline mergers in India have never gone smoothly — AI-Indian Airlines, Jet-Sahara & Kingfisher-Deccan — and Chandrasekaran admitted challenges while promising a great future for the consolidated AI. He also assured that “Vistara will continue to deliver the service experience it is known for, while bringing to AI some of its best practices. Customers will continue to experience Vistara’s in-flight service and the cabin crew that they are accustomed to.” Erstwhile Vistara flights are now operated with AI-2xxx code. He says the group is “bringing Vistara’s best qualities to this merger.”

“… it is important to acknowledge that a merger is undoubtedly a time of change — distinct cultures are put together to create something new and lasting. Such mergers take time to play out. We have moved quickly, completing the process in two years, while keeping our eye on the ultimate goal: to realise AI’s potential and turn it into a world-class global airline,” he said, adding, “Given our ambitions, this merger should be seen as part of a journey. Different parts of the business were at different points of maturity when the merger commenced, so they will take time to fully align.”
Tatas had taken over AI and AI Express in Jan 2022. Now four Tata airlines have been consolidated into one big AI group.