Indian carrier Vistara will no longer use its brand name after merging with Air India, in 2024. In a statement on Monday, Air India chief Campbell Wilson revealed that the carrier would be known as Air India once the merger is complete. Wilson, however, noted that some of Vistara’s heritage would be retained.
“Vistara clearly has a very strong recognition in the Indian market…but if you look outside the Indian market, clearly Air India is much more recognized and has a 90-year history. So, the future full-service carrier will be called Air India, but we would like to retain and celebrate some of the Vistara heritage in that new manifestation.”
Plans For Merging With Air India Began Last Year
Plans to merge the two airlines began in January 2022 when Tata Group decided to take over loss-making Air India.
Tata Group and Singapore Airlines jointly own Vistara, and SIA will get a 25.1% share when the merging is completed.
Air India is a well-known brand internationally but began losing its place in the marketplace before the merger. Vistara, on the other hand, which has been running for just ten years in India, has a more significant presence in the Indian marketplace. When the merging process has been completed by March 2024, Air India will regain its position as the country’s second-largest domestic carrier and the most prominent international carrier.
How Ready Are The Airlines?
For the merger to be fully complete, the airlines need approval from different bodies and agencies, including NCLT, DGCA and antitrust regulators of the countries where the two airlines operate. The approval process is ongoing, and everything should conclude before March 2024.
To ensure a seamless transition, executives from both airlines are already working on integrating workers from both airlines with the help of Deloitte. Executive employees who meet specific requirements and are considered fit will be retained. At the same time, other members of staff who are qualified will either have their new positions retained or moved to other departments where they best fit into.
Overall, the airlines are ready for the significant changes coming in 2024.
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