In the first month after the merger, nearly 115,000 customers who had purchased Vistara tickets pre-merger are expected to fly on unified Air India.

Post the merger, the experience offered by Vistara will continue for customers. Vistara aircraft will be operated by Air India and 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 customer identify them while booking on www.airindia.com after November 12.

The routes and schedule operated by Vistara will continue to be the same, alongside the Vistara in-flight experience that includes the product and services. It will also be serviced by the same crew.

Air India has deployed additional resources across touch points in India and is working closely with partner airports to undertake the following steps:

• Help desk kiosks at the curbside, before terminal entry at hubs and metro city airports
• Deploy customer support staff wearing “How may I assist you?” Air India x Vistara branded t-shirts for support
• Work with airport security to guide customers with old Vistara tickets to the nearest help desk or to Air India customer support staff
• Progressively Vistara airport ticketing offices will become Air India offices
• Progressively Vistara check-in terminals will become Air India
• Deploy customers advisory on Self-Service Kiosks: “For Vistara flights under code AI2, please select Air India for check-in starting 12-Nov-2024.”

At international airports:

• Customer support staff wearing “How may I assist you?” Air India x Vistara branded t-shirts will be available for support
• Directions and information for customers will be placed near check-in desks at all relevant airports

Customers calling the Vistara contact centre will be automatically directed to Air India representatives, who will ensure a seamless experience during this transition.

Over the last few months, 270,000 customers who had booked Vistara flights have been migrated to Air India and have been notified about the change. Further, over 4.5 million Vistara loyalty programme members are being migrated to Air India’s loyalty programme.

The unified Air India opens up limitless possibilities for customers including unparalleled connection to over 90 domestic and international destinations and over 800 more destinations through codeshare and interline partners. Further, Air India’s narrowbody fleet continues to be upgraded with new aircraft being delivered, legacy aircraft being refitted with entirely new interiors and Vistara’s catering now also extended to Air India.

Air India’s widebody fleet has also been augmented with the entry of six A350 aircraft that have started to fly between Delhi and London and Delhi and New York. Air India has started its retrofit program with the first A320neo narrow body aircraft being sent for retrofit. 27 narrow body legacy aircraft will be totally refurbished and retrofitted and this retrofit is likely to be completed by the middle of 2025.

The retrofitted A320neo aircraft will feature 8 luxurious seats in Business, 24 extra legroom seats in Premium Economy and 132 comfortable seats in Economy, offering wider choice to its guests.

Subtle cabin lighting, spacious legroom and wider pitch, and modern features, like portable electronic device (PED) holders and USB ports with type A and C options to charge mobile phones, laptops and other gadgets, among others, will contribute significantly to offer guests an inflight experience catering to the needs of today’s discerning flyers. Carpets, curtains, upholstery, cabin panels will be refreshed with new tones and design motifs reinforcing the brand livery.

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For instance, UK 955 will become AI 2955, helping customer identify them while booking on www.airindia.com after November 12.

The routes and schedule operated by Vistara aircraft will continue to be the same, alongside the Vistara in-flight experience that includes the product and service such as menu and cutlery on the Vistara aircraft. It will also be serviced by the same crew.

The airline, through a multi-media campaign, also pointed out that the unified Air India opens up limitless possibilities for passengers including unparalleled connection to over 90 domestic and international destinations and over 800 more destinations through codeshare and interline partners.

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’.

In parallel, Air India’s narrowbody fleet continues to be upgraded with new aircraft being delivered, legacy aircraft being refitted with entirely new interiors and Vistara’s catering now also extended to Air India.

Air India’s widebody fleet has also been augmented with the entry of six A350 aircraft that have started to fly between Delhi and London and will soon operate between Delhi and New York.

Air India has started its retrofit program with the first A320neo narrow body aircraft going for retrofit in early September. 27 narrow body legacy aircraft will be totally refurbished and retrofitted and this retrofit is likely to be completed by the middle of 2025.

The retrofitted A320neo aircraft will feature 8 luxurious seats in Business, 24 extra legroom seats in Premium Economy and 132 comfortable seats in Economy, offering wider choice to its guests.

Subtle cabin lighting, spacious legroom and wider pitch, and modern features, like portable electronic device (PED) holders and USB ports with type A and C options to charge mobile phones, laptops and other gadgets, among others, will contribute significantly to offer guests an inflight experience catering to the needs of today’s discerning flyers. Carpets, curtains, upholstery, cabin panels will be refreshed with new tones and design motifs reinforcing the brand livery.

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Bengaluru, 30 August 2024: Vistara is all set to embark on an exciting new chapter in its journey as it merges into Air India, creating a world class airline with limitless possibilities. Starting 03 September 2024, customers will, progressively, no longer be able to make bookings with Vistara for travel on or after 12 November 2024. All Vistara aircraft thereafter will be operated by Air India and bookings for the routes operated by these aircraft will be redirected to Air India’s website. Vistara will continue to take bookings and operate flights as usual till 11 November 2024.

During this transition period, both Vistara and Air India will ensure necessary support, consistent communication, and convenience to all customers, every step of the way. Customers are advised to read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the Vistara website for any action they may need to take for their travel with the airline.

Vinod Kannan, Chief Executive Officer, Vistara, said, “We are immensely grateful to all our customers for their support and patronage over the last 10 years. As we progress further in our growth journey, we want to emphasize that this merger is about offering them more choice with a larger fleet and a wider network, while elevating the overall travel experience. Vistara and Air India are committed to ensuring that this transition is smooth and hassle-free. We are excited about this new phase in our journey and look forward to welcoming our customers again soon – as Air India.” 

Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Air India, said, “Cross-functional teams from Air India and Vistara have been working together for many months to make the transition of aircraft, flying crew, ground-based colleagues and, most importantly, our valued customers, into the new Air India as seamless as possible.  The joint team looks forward to offering our guests an expanded network, additional flight options, an enhanced frequent flyer program and the best of both antecedent airlines and are grateful for the support of our loyal customers through this next phase of building a world class, world scale, global airline with an Indian heart.”

As the merger process moves ahead, regular updates will be shared with customers on the websites and social media channels of Vistara and Air India, and via e-mail. This includes information on web check-in, lounge access, ancillary services, and all other possible touchpoints. All efforts will be made by the dedicated teams across both airlines to ensure a seamless transition.

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Mumbai, 18 January 2024: Vistara, India’s finest full-service carrier takes home stellar laurels including the ‘Best Airline of the Year’ and ‘Innovation Champion’ award at the prestigious Wings India 2024. The distinguished awards were presented by the Hon’ble Minister of Civil Aviation, Government of India, Mr. Jyotiraditya Scindia in the presence of other senior officials from the Ministry, FICCI and a gathering of industry representatives from across the globe at the award ceremony held in Hyderabad.

On this occasion, Mr. Vinod Kannan, Chief Executive Officer, Vistara said: “We are pleased to be named ‘Best Airline of the Year’ at Wings India 2024. This prestigious award, along with the recognition as Innovation Champions, is a true testament to the continuous efforts of all our staff, frontline and at the backend, who work tirelessly towards ensuring service excellence. As we soar to new heights, these awards further reaffirm our commitment to pushing boundaries and setting new benchmarks in Indian aviation. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the jury of Wings India 2024 for recognising our efforts. We also thank our customers for their steadfast trust in us and look forward to their continued patronage.”

Vistara’s world-class travel experience and safety standards have been widely appreciated by customers, significantly contributing to winning these awards. The airline’s constant quest for innovation is evident in various initiatives such as implementing newer technologies like RFID AeroCheck, introducing Live TV on select international flights, operating the country’s first long-haul flight on a wide-body aircraft using sustainable aviation fuel and many others.

In terms of product and service attributes, Vistara offers the choice of flying in state-of-the-art aircraft equipped with luxurious cabins. Vistara’s Business Class cabin products are unmatched within the domestic market and on par with some of the biggest airlines around the world. Vistara is also the first Indian airline to offer Premium Economy – a product gaining prominence as customers want more convenience, exclusivity and space during travel. The experience is further enhanced by cutting-edge inflight entertainment, delectable onboard cuisine, thoughtfully curated amenity kits and the benefits of our frequent flyer program, Club Vistara. Additionally, Vistara’s onboard service is delivered by the award-winning cabin crew trained in service excellence, which the Tata Group and Singapore Airlines are renowned for.

Vistara is India’s highest-rated airline on Skytrax and TripAdvisor, and it has been the winner of several ‘Best Airline’ awards, besides being lauded for world-class cabin cleanliness and upholding high safety standards. The only Indian carrier to feature amongst World’s Top 20 Airlines, Vistara has been named ‘16th Best Airline’ globally while also being recognised as the ‘Best Airline in India and South Asia’ for the third time in a row, ‘Best Airline Staff in India and South Asia’ for the fifth consecutive year, ‘Best Cabin Crew in India and South Asia’ for the third time in a row and ‘Best Business Class Airline in India and South Asia’ for the second time in a row at the coveted World Airline Awards 2023 by Skytrax. Vistara also received the ch-aviation Asia’s Third Youngest Airline Fleet award for the second consecutive year.

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UK 1964; the ‘Flight to Riverdale’ commenced from Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi at 14:40 hours and arrived at Manohar International Airport, Goa at 17:15 hours. The flight was operated on Vistara’s iconic Retrojet and aimed to offer the passengers a nostalgic journey by recreating the world of Archies on-board and by flying them to Riverdale; thereby offering a chance to bring a dream destination alive, one that was set up at the Manohar international Airport, Goa! The celebration onboard was marked by retro-themed décor in line with the film’s aesthetics, specially curated meals and beverages reminiscent of Pop Tate’s, customised Vistara and Netflix giveaways, and a chance for the passengers to travel with their favourite characters from The Archies.

The cast of The Archies, accompanied by the renowned directors Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti participated in this experience onboard UK 1964. The cast was present in character to give an authentic touch to the experience and included Suhana Khan as Veronica Lodge, Khushi Kapoor as Betty Cooper, Agastya Nanda as Archie Andrews, Aditi Saigal as Ethel Muggs, Vedang Raina as Reggie Mantle, Mihir Ahuja as Jughead Jones, and Yuvraj Menda as Dilton Doiley. While the Archies soundtrack played as part of the boarding and landing music, our in-flight entertainment system Vistara World showcased exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpses into the making of The Archies, enhancing the overall experience.

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Mumbai, 23 September 2023: Vistara, India’s finest full-service carrier and a joint venture of Tata group and Singapore Airlines, announced direct, 6x weekly flights between Mumbai and Frankfurt, starting from 15 November 2023. This new route is in addition to Vistara’s 6x weekly service between Delhi and Frankfurt which has been getting good response since its launch in February 2021. With the addition of this new long-haul route, Vistara further enhances connectivity between Europe and India as it continues to grow its international network. The airline will operate its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner featuring a three-class cabin configuration, offering the choice of travelling in Business, Premium Economy, and Economy cabins. Bookings for the flights are being progressively opened on all channels, including Vistara’s website, mobile app, and through travel agents.

Vistara’s operations in Mumbai has witnessed remarkable expansion in recent times, especially as a gateway to the airline’s international network. Vistara now connects Mumbai to a total of 12 international destinations, including Abu Dhabi, Bangkok, Colombo, Dammam, Dhaka, Dubai, Jeddah, London Heathrow, Male, Mauritius, Muscat and Singapore. In the last 12 months, the airline has added many new domestic and international connections from Mumbai leading to an increase of 42% in the number of departures, and nearly doubled its employee-strength in the station.

Mr. Vinod Kannan, Chief Executive Officer, Vistara, said, “We are delighted to expand our international network with the launch of this new service between Mumbai and Frankfurt. Our long-haul routes, connecting Delhi with London Heathrow, Paris and Frankfurt have been very popular amongst our customers which gave us the confidence to offer similar connections from Mumbai as well. This will be our second long-haul route from Mumbai, in addition to 5x weekly flights to London Heathrow, and we hope that our customers will appreciate having the option of flying with India’s best airline on this sector.”

“Over the past couple of years, we have launched several new international routes from Mumbai, especially to the Middle East. This aligns perfectly with our strategy to position Mumbai as a vital hub for international travel,” he added.

INTRODUCTORY ALL-INCLUSIVE, ROUND-TRIP FARES BETWEEN MUMBAI AND FRANKFURT

SCHEDULE OF FLIGHTS BETWEEN MUMBAI AND FRANKFURT EFFECTIVE 15 NOVEMBER 2023

Vistara will accept all eligible customers meeting visa/entry requirements in both countries, as specified by the respective government bodies. Vistara strongly encourages its customers to fully understand these guidelines before making their bookings.

Vistara is India’s highest-rated airline on Skytrax and TripAdvisor, and it has been the winner of several ‘Best Airline’ awards, besides being lauded for world-class cabin cleanliness and upholding high safety standards. The only Indian carrier to feature amongst World’s Top 20 Airlines, Vistara has been named ‘16th Best Airline’ globally while also being recognised as the ‘Best Airline in India and South Asia’ for the third time in a row, ‘Best Airline Staff in India and South Asia’ for the fifth consecutive year, ‘Best Cabin Crew in India and South Asia’ for the third time in a row and ‘Best Business Class Airline in India and South Asia’ for the second time in a row at the coveted World Airline Awards 2023 by Skytrax. Vistara also received the ch-aviation Asia’s Third Youngest Airline Fleet award for the second consecutive year.

***

About Vistara (TATA SIA Airlines Limited): TATA SIA Airlines Limited, known by the brand name Vistara, is a 51:49 joint venture between Tata Sons Private Limited and Singapore Airlines Limited (SIA). Vistara brings together Tata’s and SIA’s legendary hospitality and renowned service excellence to offer the finest full-service flying experience in India. Vistara commenced its commercial operations on January 9, 2015, with an aim to set new standards in the aviation industry in India and it today connects destinations across India and abroad. The airline currently, has a fleet of 62 aircraft, including 47 Airbus A320neo, 10 Airbus A321 and 5 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and has flown more than 50 million customers since starting operations.

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Mumbai, 15 September 2023: Vistara, India’s finest full-service carrier and a joint venture of Tata group and Singapore Airlines, announced daily non-stop flights between Delhi and Hong Kong, starting 29 October 2023. The airline will operate its A321neo aircraft featuring a three-class configuration on this route. Bookings for the flights are being progressively opened on all channels, including Vistara’s website, mobile app, and through travel agents.

Mr. Vinod Kannan, Chief Executive Officer, Vistara, said, “We are delighted to add Hong Kong to our fast-growing global network. Hong Kong is one of the world’s most premier financial and commercial hubs that continues to draw significant corporate traffic from India. It has also been a very popular destination for Indian tourists. With the addition of Hong Kong, we are now able to offer our customers direct connectivity to and from three of the world’s top financial centres, the others being London and Singapore.”

Introductory all-inclusive, round-trip fares

Schedule of flights to/from Hong Kong effective 29 October 2023

Vistara will accept all eligible customers meeting visa/entry requirements in both countries, as specified by the respective government bodies. Vistara strongly encourages its customers to fully understand these guidelines before making their bookings.

Vistara is India’s highest-rated airline on Skytrax and TripAdvisor, and it has been the winner of several ‘Best Airline’ awards, besides being lauded for world-class cabin cleanliness and upholding high safety standards. The only Indian carrier to feature amongst World’s Top 20 Airlines, Vistara has been named ‘16th Best Airline’ globally, while also being recognised as the ‘Best Airline in India and South Asia’ for the third time in a row, ‘Best Airline Staff in India and South Asia’ for the fifth consecutive year, ‘Best Cabin Crew in India and South Asia’ for the third time in a row and ‘Best Business Class Airline in India and South Asia’ for the second time in a row at the coveted World Airline Awards 2023 by Skytrax. Vistara also received the ch-aviation Asia’s Third Youngest Airline Fleet award for the second consecutive year. 

About Vistara (TATA SIA Airlines Limited): TATA SIA Airlines Limited, known by the brand name Vistara, is a 51:49 joint venture between Tata Sons Private Limited and Singapore Airlines Limited (SIA). Vistara brings together Tata’s and SIA’s legendary hospitality and renowned service excellence to offer the finest full-service flying xperience in India. Vistara commenced its commercial operations on January 9, 2015, with an aim to set new standards in the aviation industry in India and it today connects destinations across India and abroad. The airline currently, has a fleet of 61 aircraft, including 46 Airbus A320neo, 10 Airbus A321 and 5 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and has flown more than 50 million customers since starting operations.

The post VISTARA ANNOUNCES DAILY NON-STOP FLIGHTS BETWEEN DELHI AND HONG KONG FROM 29 OCTOBER 2023 appeared first on newsmantra.in l Latest news on Politics, World, Bollywood, Sports, Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Trending news | News Mantra.