Vistara, a popular Indian full-service airline, has officially merged with national carrier Air India, forming the country's largest international airline and second-largest domestic carrier. The merger comes after several years of operation and will result in an enlarged entity with over 5,500 weekly flights across both domestic and international routes. The new integrated entity had its inaugural flights on Tuesday, with the Vistara code 'UK' being replaced with 'AI2XXX', and all check-in counters now bearing the Air India name. This merger marks the Tata Group's second major consolidation in the Indian aviation industry in the last two months, with the first being the integration of AIX Connect with Air India Express on October 1st.
The Indian aviation industry has witnessed major developments recently, with the Tata Group taking control of the market. The merger of Vistara into Air India has changed the dynamics of the sector and has also raised questions about the carrier's ability to match the standards set by Vistara. On the other hand, IndiGo is making moves to tap into the luxury market by introducing business class cabins on select routes. However, experts believe IndiGo may not be able to compete with full-fledged business class airlines. This will be a crucial test for the Tata Group as they work towards turning Air India into a profitable venture.
As the merger between Indian airlines Vistara and national carrier Air India approaches, details of the changes are being announced. The newly merged airlines will use the flight code 'AI2' and Tata Group will retain the majority ownership with 51 percent stake. Despite the integration, Vistara assures its customers that their flying experience will remain the same. This comes after Vistara was established in 2015 as a joint venture with Singapore Airlines holding a 49 percent stake.
The planned merger of Air India and Vistara has hit another hurdle as a section of Air India pilots have expressed their dissatisfaction over different retirement age limits between the two airlines. While Air India has a mandatory retirement age of 58 years, Vistara has a higher age limit of 60 years for pilots. This discrepancy has caused resentment among the affected pilots and the lack of clarity from management has only added fuel to the fire.
The consolidation of Tata Group's aviation business continues as Vistara merges with Air India on Monday. With this merger, only one full-service carrier will remain in the Indian skies. The line between full-service and low-cost carriers is becoming blurred, with budget airlines also offering business class seats. This move has been influenced by the rise of no-frills airlines worldwide and the changing travel patterns.
Indian airlines, including Air India, Indigo, Vistara, and Akasa, have received 85 bomb threats in the last 24 hours, causing widespread concern and disruptions in flight schedules. These threats are being taken very seriously by authorities, as the safety and security of passengers is of utmost importance. The investigation into these bomb threats is ongoing, with officials working to determine the source and validity of the threats.
A meeting involving Air India and Vistara was held this Tuesday evening, with the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology reprimanding social media platform X for circulating bomb threat hoaxes. The ministry also advised social media platforms to use AI-based mechanisms to block any accounts sending out bulk messages about bombs. Over the past eight days, more than 170 flights operated by Indian carriers have received bomb threats, prompting authorities to urge social media platforms to take immediate action.
An increase in hoax bomb threats through social media have disrupted multiple flights of Indian airlines over the past few days. On Sunday, 24 flights received threats, with one flight being diverted and others declaring emergencies. The threats came from anonymous and unverified accounts, showing the potential dangers of using social media for false alarms. Despite most threats being considered fake, airlines and aviation authorities take them seriously, causing disruptions and financial losses for airlines. The affected airlines, including IndiGo, Akasa Air, Vistara, and Air India, confirmed the threats and followed security protocols with the relevant authorities.
In a continued pattern, four days in a row now, domestic airlines have been facing bomb threats to their flights. Recently, two Vistara and two IndiGo flights received such threats. Following the protocol, the authorities were immediately informed, and all passengers were safely disembarked as the aircraft underwent extensive security checks. IndiGo did not disclose any further details and is cooperating with relevant authorities.
A Vistara flight from Frankfurt to Mumbai was subject to a bomb threat received on social media, causing the aircraft to make an emergency landing. The passengers were safely disembarked and the plane was taken to isolation for security checks. This incident adds to the growing number of hoax bomb threats received by Indian carriers in the past three days, with the government actively pursuing and prosecuting those responsible.