In a major development for the Indian aviation industry, Vistara will operate its final flight under its own brand on November 11, Monday. The airline will merge its operations with Air India on November 12, marking the end of Vistara as an independent entity.
This merger will lead to a significant consolidation within the Indian aviation sector, reducing the number of full-service carriers from five to one in just over 17 years. Additionally, Singapore Airlines will acquire a 25.1% stake in Air India as part of this transition.
The merger has sparked an emotional reaction among netizens, with many expressing their farewells to Vistara on social media. As the airline, co-owned by a foreign carrier, prepares to cease operations after the merger, it signifies the conclusion of an era in Indian aviation.
Taking to social media platform X, formerly Twitter, a user wrote, "Farewell to Vistara. India’s finest domestic airline, as it takes its final flight today. Since 2015, Vistara has set new standards for service and comfort in Indian skies. "
He further added, "Thank you, Vistara, for making every journey memorable! Let us fly high to new horizons with Air India."
Another user posted several photos of the airline and said, "Grateful to have experienced Airvistara, on its final day of operations—a brand that truly delivered on its promise of ‘a new feeling’ in travel.
Vistara is one of the few brands which overlapped brand promise with brand delivery so seamlessly, he added.
Meanwhile, Virstara also took to the X, and said, "As the plane ascends, so do our dreams; let’s glide toward the future, where the sky isn’t the limit, but just the beginning."
Since the merger of Indian Airlines with Air India in 2007, India has seen at least five full-service carriers in operation. However, several of these airlines have since shut down. Kingfisher Airlines, for example, ceased operations in 2012, while Air Sahara, which was acquired by Jet Airways and later rebranded as JetLite, ended its operations with the collapse of Jet Airways in 2019.
With the merger of Vistara and Air India, the Indian aviation sector will experience a major decrease in the number of full-service carriers, dropping from five to one in just over 17 years.
