Air India Group expects to induct 26 wide-body and narrow-body planes, and operate 81 per cent of its international flights with upgraded aircraft by the end of 2026, while overall capacity will remain almost unchanged next year.
Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines invested Rs 9,558 crore in loss-making Air India in 2024-25, with the promoters pumping in Rs 4,306 crore alone in March this year.
"Heartbroken by the loss of Shri @RNTata2000 Ji, whose visionary leadership not only transformed India's industry but also played a pivotal role in shaping our aviation sector," Naidu said in a post on X.
In about a fortnight, Vistara - known for its premium service - will take off on its final flight before merging into the legacy of Air India. Set for November 12, the merger has sparked discussions on how these two distinct brands will blend.
Over the past eight months, a team of 80 people has been diligently working to harmonise operating procedures across four airlines run by the Tata group, as part of two mergers, revealed Campbell Wilson, Air India's chief executive officer (CEO), on Friday. The Tata group is consolidating its aviation business by merging four airlines into two: Air India and Vistara are merging to form a single full-service carrier, while AIX Connect and Air India Express are combining to create a unified low-cost carrier (as a subsidiary of Air India).
Full service carrier Vistara will continue to expand and expects to have a total of 70 planes by mid-2024, its chief Vinod Kannan said on Tuesday. The airline, a joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, reported an operating profit for the first time since inception in the three months ended December 2022. By the middle of next year, Kannan said it will have a total of 70 aircraft, including 7 Boeing 787s.
The new name would not have the Tata or the SIA name, confirmed a spokesperson.
With the launch of Tata AirAsia and Tata-SIA, the added capacity will bring down fares considerably, say observers.
The new alliance will help the Tatas realise their long-cherished dream of flying abroad, while Singapore Airlines will get a foothold in the expanding Indian market
While four of the directors would be nominated by Tata Sons, the other two would be representatives of Singapore Airlines.
With respect to the cancelled flights, customers can opt for a full refund or alternative travel dates free of cost.
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Amadeus Altea Suite, a complete passenger service system, is currently used by more than 120 airlines across the world. Vistara is a 51:49 joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines Limited.
The last date to submit bids is March 17 but the deadline could be extended if there are requests from potential bidders.
'I am seven months into the job, but it feels like seven years.'
Full-service airline Tata-SIA, submitted its application for the grant of Air Operator's Permit (AOP or flying license) in April.
FIA has filed two separate petitions challenging the approvals granted to Tata-Airasia and Tata-SIA Airlines deals respectively.
Apart from Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, the codeshare agreement with Lufthansa will cover Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Goa, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Kochi and Pune.
The city will be the 10th destination for Vistara.
Vistara launched first flight from Hyderabad to New Delhi on Sunday.
"Tata Sons board is meeting tomorrow (Friday) to consider the proposal to bid for Jet Airways," people in the know of the development told PTI.
Tata-SIA have applied to the Civil Aviation Ministry for a no-objection certificate to start a full-service airline in India.
This is the largest single dose of equity infusion into the joint venture since its launch in January 2015.
Events to keep an eye out for...
Earlier, the JV company got a go-ahead from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board in October 2013 and was awaiting AOP for launching a full-service carrier.
Besides the major metros, the proposed airline would also connect Srinagar, Patna, Chandigarh and Jammu.
Vistara's growth and future funding requirement would hinge on how soon the government changes these rules.
Singapore Airline along with its Indian JV partner have got clearance from the aviation ministry.
The 39-year-old Vikas Sachdev kept nudging Zaira Wasim's shoulder and continued to move his foot up and down her back and neck during the two hour flight.
The first Airbus A-320 aircraft of Tata-SIA joint venture Vistara airline, painted with its logo and livery, landed at the IGI Airport in New Delhi on Wednesday, taking the carrier a step closer to its launch.
Debt-ridden national carrier Air India tops a brand reputation survey.
The airline, which is slated to get its first Airbus A-320 soon, had earlier announced plans to start operations in October.
At least 15 variations were being evaluated regarding the '5/20 rule'.
Singapore Airlines has given new brand names to two carriers it controls - SilkAir (short-haul) and Scoot (low-cost, long-haul.
According to sources, Vistara was looking at commencing operations on Oct 15 to commemorate J R D Tata's flight from Karachi to Mumbai on the same date in 1932.
The infusion will help the airlines plan their next rounds of operations as easing of 5/20 norms
Vistara CEO Phee Teik Yeoh discusses the airline's expansion plans and challenges with Alnoor Peermohamed.
Bookings are already open, trial flights are being conducted.
It and Vistara both book slots here; former also likely to launch Mumbai flights from early 2015.
The first set of routes that it will launch internationally will be the routes that can be flown by its existing aircraft, the A320s, which will be routes within three, three-and-a-half hours of India
Tata-SIA will kick off with full-service domestic operations.
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