Singapore Airlines and conglomerate Tata Sons, which jointly launched Indian carrier Vistara in 2015, have agreed to merge Vistara with Air India, which Tata acquired in January 2022.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Vistara brand would eventually go away.<\/p>\n
Singapore will invest $250 million for a 25.1% stake in the enlarged Air India Group, which also includes Air India Express and AirAsia India. The carriers expect to complete the merger by March 2024, subject to regulatory approval.<\/p>\n
In addition, Singapore and Tata have agreed to make additional capital investments, if needed, through the end of the 2024 fiscal year. Based on Singapore’s stake, that amount could be up to $615 million, payable only after the completion of the merger, according to the carrier.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The merger will “bolster SIA’s presence in India and strengthen its multi-hub strategy,” according to Singapore.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Once merged, Air India Group would have 218 widebody and narrowbody aircraft serving 38 international and 52 domestic destinations, according to Singapore.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Further, last week Air India announced it was expanding its network in the U.S. and Europe. A new daily route between Mumbai and New York’s JFK Airport will launch Feb. 14. The new service would join the carrier’s Delhi-JFK route and four weekly flights to Newark. The Mumbai route will use Boeing 777-200LR aircraft.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For Europe, Air India will add thrice-weekly flights between Mumbai and Paris and four weekly flights between Mumbai and Frankfurt. Launch and sale dates will be announced soon.<\/p>\n
The carrier also is scheduled to resume from Feb. 1 thrice-weekly flights between Delhi and Milan, from Feb. 18 thrice-weekly flights between Delhi and Vienna, and from March 1 thrice-weekly flights between Delhi and Copenhagen. Bookings are open for these three routes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
All of these flights and the Paris and Frankfurt routes will be operated with Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft featuring 18 business class and 238 economy seats, according to Air India.\u00a0<\/p>\n