As boarding gates closed at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru and final passenger calls were made, flyers settled into their aubergine-coloured seats. Captain Adarsh Mohan informed passengers that the aircraft under the Vistara brand was being piloted by him for “one last time”
The caveat was necessary as the 10-year-old brand Vistara, having merged with Air India, was flying into the sunset on Monday.
The announcement by Captain Adarsh Mohan prompted some of the young flyers to click photographs of the cabin with dim purple-orange mood lights. Selfies on the plane were also taken. On this special day, the menu featured a special complimentary dessert. Alongside its usual meals and beverages, the flight crew served a strawberry pastry topped with vanilla sauce as a parting gesture.
Earlier in the day, the farewell mood had set in at terminal 2 of the Bengaluru airport itself, where this reporter was waiting to board a Vistara flight on its final day. Vistara flight UK 854 was flying behind schedule with boarding delayed by close to an hour. The ground staff attributed the lag to air traffic congestion in Mumbai, resulting in a delayed arrival of the flight in Bengaluru. A commotion between the Vistara ground staff and passengers travelling to Mumbai, over the delay, was contained quickly: After all, it was no ordinary day.
“Some delays can be excused for the airline today since it’s one of its last operations as Vistara. It’s one of the few brands that flyers will miss booking from now on,” a 50-year old finance professional travelling in the Bengaluru-Mumbai flight said.
The change of guard was visible at the check-in counters at the airport. Long queues near the airline’s check-in counters prompted the Vistara staff to seek assistance from team Air India. Consequently, personnel donning Air India lanyards stepped in, opening two of the counters to ease pressure.
“From tomorrow, it’s only Air India for us even though operational integration may take some more time. We’re excited to see how we can serve as a merged entity,” a Vistara employee said. Starting November 12, Vistara aircraft will be operated under the Air India banner, to be identified by a special four-digit flight code beginning with “2”.
Once the flight took off, there were questions and more. “Is it Vistara’s last day today? What are the things that will change? I have been flying for the past 40 years within India, and only a few have come close to international standards,” said K N Prabhashankar, a Bengaluru-based chartered accountant. He’s preferred Vistara over others on his frequent trips to Mumbai.
To ensure flyers like Prabhashankar face minimal interruption, majority of the airline’s in-flight experience including routes, schedules, cabin crew, menu, cutlery and device would continue to remain the same for some time.
“It’s a day filled with mixed emotions for me. We are amongst the best airlines globally. What’s heartening is I would still be able to wear the aubergine-coloured uniform until February next year,” a member of the cabin crew said.
“Vistara set new standards in Indian skies and pioneered premium economy in domestic aviation. The food and service standards set it apart for most parts,” said Ameya Joshi, founder of aviation blog Network Thoughts.
The merger with Air India comes nearly a decade after Vistara launched operations with three Airbus jets in 2015. The airline was a 51:49 joint venture between the Tata group and Singapore Airlines, and has seen an infusion of Rs 9,900 crore. It now operated about 2,400 weekly flights and had a fleet of 70 planes.
The conclusion of the merger comes near two years after it was announced. In 2022, the Tata group and Singapore Airlines (SIA) said that they had agreed to merge Vistara with Air India to drive synergies and grab market share in the fast-growing aviation market.
The process came with its own turbulence including pilot agitation.
However, for passengers, the “Vistara feel” would remain important. Even after the merger. Some said they would cherish their boarding passes since it would be the last time they were flying with the brand.
‘’Today even if their tagline says ‘Fly a new feeling’, I hope the old feeling (of flying with them) continues to remain the same,” another passenger added.
Originally Published at BUSINESSSTANDARD
