A little over eight years since its first flight, Indian full-service carrier Vistara celebrated a significant milestone – it flew its 50 millionth passenger. The airline has created a strong brand for itself in the full-service segment and has many loyalists across the country.
50 million passengers flown
Vistara recently celebrated flying 50 million passengers – a milestone it achieved after eight years of operations. The carrier began flying in January 2015 and flew its 50 millionth customer on flight UK819 between Delhi (DEL) and Bengaluru (BLR). Vinod Kannan, Chief Executive Officer, Vistara, commented,
“We are filled with gratitude and joy as we celebrate this remarkable feat of serving over 50 million customers. This milestone stands as a testament to the trust and confidence reposed in us by millions of customers. In a short span of time, we have also emerged as the ‘16th Best Airline’ globally, and this extraordinary success is credited to the passion and dedication of our employees reflecting in every aspect of their work, regardless of the challenges they faced.”
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To celebrate the achievement, Vistara has launched a special campaign - #50MillionFeelings- to capture the airline's fond memories, emotions, journeys, and experiences in the last eight years.
The carrier has created an original song that complements a celebratory video encapsulating its customers’ unique expressions. For offline promotions, Vistara has deployed an anamorphic 3D installation at Bengaluru, Delhi, and Mumbai airports. Vistara passengers on select flights will also be served special-themed desserts, and the airline will also run contests on social media.
Brand to discontinue
Vistara has grown significantly in the last few years. Today, it operates over 280 flights daily, with a fleet of 61 aircraft, connecting 32 airports across India and 15 international destinations. It has amassed a loyal customer base due to its onboard product and the backing of the reliable Tata Group.
However, the Vistara brand will discontinue after the airline merges its business with Air India, whose chief executive officer, Campbell Wilson, clarified that the airline would continue to be known as Air India following its merger with Vistara. The reason for this is Air India’s long presence in the international market. Earlier this year, he said,
“Vistara clearly has a very strong recognition in the Indian market...but if you look outside the Indian market, clearly Air India is much more recognized and has a 90-year history. So, the future full-service carrier will be called Air India, but we would like to retain and celebrate some of the Vistara heritage in that new manifestation.”
Merger under review
The Tata Group, which partly owns Vistara and wholly owns Air India, would like to merge the two airlines sometime early next year. Several regulatory approvals will be needed for the merger, but one of the most important ones will come from the Competition Commission of India (CCI).
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Recent reports have said that the CCI has issued a notice to the two airlines seeking an explanation about why the approval should be fast-tracked and why it should not investigate the merger process in detail. The Tata Group has 30 days to respond to the notice, and the CCI will likely examine the merger process in detail before giving its nod.
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