What Every Passenger Needs to Know About Air India-Vistara Merger

Vistara announced in a statement, "All customers who have already booked with Vistara for travel 12-November-2024 onwards will have their tickets transferred to Air India and will soon receive communication via email and SMS regarding this change,” Vistara said in a statement."

"Starting September 3, 2024, flights will progressively not be available for bookings for travel beyond November 11, 2024, 23:59 hours. All flights thereafter will be operated by Air India and can be booked via the Air India website or mobile app," the statement added.

The customers who have bought Vistara lounge access before November 11, 2024, their access will remain unchanged. But for travel after this date, lounge access will be handled by Air India. If a person has booked lounge access through Vistara for a flight now operated by Air India, a refund will be issued, and they will need to make a new booking through Air India.

Flight tickets booked through Vistara for travel after November 11, 2024, will be managed by Air India. These flights will be operated by Air India, and passengers will receive new e-ticket numbers while keeping their original PNR. For bookings after this date, customers will have to use the Air India website or app.

With the regulatory approvals secured, Campbell Wilson, Air India chief, said November 12 has been designated as the date for the transfer of aircraft and crew of Vistara to Air India.

A joint venture between Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, Vistara is set to merge with Air India. After the merger, Singapore Airlines will have a 25.1 percent stake in Tata-Group-owned Air India.

The foreign direct investment by Singapore Airlines has been approved by the government as a part of a merger.

Wilson said that they are embarking on a lengthy and complex merger process, in a message to the staff on Friday.

The merger was initially announced on November 22.