Page 32 - Air India

Air India to set up aircraft maintenance training institute in Bengaluru

Air India on Friday said it is setting up a Basic Maintenance Training Organisation (BMTO), which will offer an integrated 2+2 years Aircraft Maintenance Engineering (AME) programme certified by the Indian aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The Air India BMTO is a step towards building a robust, future-ready aviation ecosystem in India, the company said. It will serve the ambitions of the airline as it moves ahead in its transformation journey, strengthening the availability of aircraft maintenance engineers as Air India expands its fleet, making it self-reliant, it said in a release. Air India has signed an agreement with Bengaluru Airport City Limited (BACL), a subsidiary of Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), to develop a build-to-suit facility for the AME programme that will feature modern classrooms, well-equipped laboratories for practical training and a team of qualified trainers. The purpose-built campus, spread over 86,000 square f

Over 370 flights delayed at Delhi airport as smog engulfs national capital

According to Flightradar24 data, till 2 PM, about 110 arrivals were delayed at the national capital's airport. Moreover, about 269 departures were also delayed at this airport

Air India-Vistara will deliver on 'sky-high expectations': N Chandrasekaran

Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran on Thursday said the best qualities of Vistara are being brought to Air India, which was in decline for a number of systemic reasons when Tatas took over the airline two years back, and fulfil the "sky high expectations". "We are fully aware that expectations for the new Air India are sky high. We expect nothing less, and we expect to deliver nothing less," he said and asserted that the merged entity will be ready for the country's coming aviation revolution. Nearly two years after announcing the merger, the integration of Vistara with Air India was completed on November 12 and Singapore Airlines now has a 25.1 per cent in the enlarged Air India. Vistara was jointly owned by Tatas and Singapore Airlines. "Given our ambitions, this merger should be seen as part of a journey. Different parts of the business were at different points of maturity when the merger commenced, so they will take time to fully align," Chandrasekaran said in a LinkedIn ...

IndiGo, Air India cancel flights to Bali due to volcanic eruption

IndiGo and Air India on Wednesday cancelled their flights to Bali due to ash clouds from a volcanic eruption in the Indonesian island. The Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki volcano located in a remote island in East Nusa Tenggara province erupted earlier this month and has resulted in ash clouds. These clouds could pose a threat to flight operations and as a result, many airlines have cancelled their services to Bali. "#6ETravelAdvisory: Due to a recent volcanic eruption in #Bali, flights to/from the region have been cancelled, as ash clouds may impact air travel," IndiGo said in a post on X. The airline operates a daily flight from Bengaluru to Bali. An official said Air India has cancelled its Bali flight. It operates a flight every day from Delhi to the Indonesian island. The service was being operated by Vistara, which has now been merged with Air India.

Air India-Vistara merger completed; Singapore Airlines gets 25.1% stake

The merger with Vistara will enable Air India to operate 5,600 weekly flights connecting 90 destinations with a fleet size of 208 aircraft

AI-Vistara merger now a reality; SIA to invest Rs 3,195 cr in merged entity

Marking a significant consolidation in the fast-growing Indian aviation space, Air India on Tuesday completed the Vistara merger to create an integrated airline, partly owned by Singapore Airlines, that will be flying over 1,20,000 passengers daily and connect more than 90 destinations. The completion of the much-awaited amalgamation, which was announced in November 2022, comes within six weeks of the integration of Air India Express and AIX Connect. The two mergers have created a full service carrier and a low-cost carrier of scale for the Tata Group, which is seeking to establish a "world class global aviation company with an Indian heart". Earlier in the day, the nearly 10-year-old Vistara -- a joint venture between Tatas and Singapore Airlines -- flew into the sunset and its last flight was from Delhi to Singapore. As part of the merger, Singapore Airlines (SIA) will invest an additional Rs 3,194.5 crore in the enlarged entity. The enlarged Air India will operate over 5,600 wee

Air India-Vistara merger complete; new entity to run 5,600+ weekly flights

Air India-Vistara merger: The combined airline will service 103 domestic and 71 international routes

Vistara's last flight takes off for Delhi ahead of merger with Air India

The flight, UK 782, departed from Odisha's Biju Patnaik International Airport at 8.30 pm, and landed at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport at 10.55 pm

Vistara completes merger with Air India: With cabin mood lights and selfies

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

India's aircraft fleet set to increase by over 5 times in 20 yrs: Report

This growth will boost Indian airlines' share of the Asia-Pacific passenger fleet from the current 8 per cent to 18 per cent by 2043, according to a Cirium report

Air India Express to reconfigure planes with biz class seats from Apr 2025

Air India Express plans to start reconfiguration of planes having business class seats from April 2025, as the airline focuses on operating narrow-body planes with only economy class seats, according to a senior official. The Tata Group-owned airline that merged AIX Connect with itself on October 1 has rationalised its network and currently has an operational fleet of 90 planes, including over 30 aircraft with dual-class seats. Amid supply chain woes impacting fresh aircraft deliveries, the airline has, so far, inducted 35 white-tail Boeing 737-8 planes. Their count will rise to 50 in the coming months. Many of these white-tail aircraft have varying numbers of business-class seats. Generally, white-tail planes are those that were originally manufactured for a particular airline and later taken by another airline. The senior airline official said it will start reconfiguration of the aircraft having business class from April onwards. The carrier wants to offer only economy class se

'Very sad experience': Yogendra Yadav slams Air India's poor service

Yogendra Yadav, known for avoiding public airing of personal issues, said he felt compelled to share his recent air travel experience as it 'may be of use to others'

Indian skies left with just one full-service carrier after Vistara merger

With Vistara merging into Air India, the number of full-service carriers in India will drop to just one, marking the end of a 17-year era of multiple full-service carriers in the country

Air India's 'Fly Prior' lets you rebook an earlier flight at no extra cost

Air India guests have the option to take an alternative flight departing up to 12 hours before their originally booked flight, provided the departure dates of both flights is scheduled on same day

Vistara merger: Air India pilots unhappy over differing retirement age

A section of Air India pilots is unhappy in the run-up to the Vistara merger over different retirement age limits for pilots of the two Tata Group-owned airlines as the management is yet to address the issue, according to sources. At Air India, which was owned by the government since the 1950s and came into the Tata fold in 2022, the retirement age for pilots and other staff is 58 years, whereas at Vistara it is 60 years. Vistara -- jointly owned by Tata Group and Singapore Airlines -- is set to be merged with Air India on November 11 as part of the salt-to-steel conglomerate's consolidation of its aviation business. The sources said resentment is brewing among a section of Air India pilots as the management is yet to formulate a common superannuation age for the integrated entity. Air India did not comment on the issue. "There is a lot of resentment among a section of Air India pilots ahead of the Vistara merger over the retirement age limit. "While the management was prompt in

SIA to invest additional Rs 3,195 cr in Air India after Vistara merger

Singapore Airlines will make an additional investment of Rs 3,194.5 crore in Tata Group-owned Air India post-merger of Vistara in November. The merger, announced on November 29, 2022, and set to be completed on November 11, 2024, will result in Singapore Airlines having a 25.1 per cent stake in the enlarged Air India. Full-service carrier Vistara, which started flying on January 9, 2015, is a joint venture between Tatas and Singapore Airlines, where the latter holds a 49 per cent shareholding. Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group on Friday said its consideration for the merger comprises the 49 per cent interest in Vistara and Rs 20,585 million (Rs 2,058.5 crore) in cash in exchange for a 25.1 per cent equity interest in the enlarged Air India. Post-merger, SIA expects to recognise a non-cash accounting gain of around 1.1 billion Singapore dollars and also start equity accounting for its share of Air India's financial results. According to a release on Friday, the merger includes an ...

With Vistara merging, Air India is now the only full-service Indian carrier

When Vistara folds up into the Air India Group on Monday, the number of full service carriers in the fast-growing Indian aviation space will come down to just one from five in a span of over 17 years. Also, the merger -- that will see Vistara's 49 per cent owner Singapore Airlines holding 25.1 per cent stake in Air India post the merger-- will mark the sunset of another Indian airline jointly owned by an overseas carrier after the liberalisation of foreign direct investment norms. In 2012, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh-led UPA government allowed foreign airlines to buy up to 49 per cent in a domestic carrier, which later resulted in the now defunct Jet Airways securing 24 per cent stake from Gulf carrier Etihad besides the birth of AirAsia India and Vistara. Vistara is also the only full-service carrier to start operations in the last 10 years. Since the merger of full-service carrier (FSC) Indian Airlines with Air India in 2007, at least five FSCs dotted the Indian skies. As year

Air India rejigs senior management level employees ahead of Vistara merger

Air India Group on Friday announced a rejig at the senior management level ahead of the merger of Vistara with Air India. As part of this exercise, Vistara chief executive officer Vinod Kanan, who has also been holding the role of Chief Integration Officer for the merger of the two entities, will continue in the latter role post-merger. Besides, he will be a member of the management committee and report directly to Air India CEO Campbell Wilson, a statement said. Full-service carrier Vistara, which is a 51:49 per cent joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, is all set to merge with Air India on November 12. It also said that Deepak Rajawat, Chief Commercial Officer of Vistara will take up the position of Chief Financial Officer at the low-cost arm Air India Express, reporting to its chief executive officer Aloke Singh and also support Air India Group CFO Sanjay Sharma in strategic initiatives and projects. Consequently, Vikas Agarwal, the current CFO of Air India .

Vistara merger: Air India deploys additional resources to help passengers

Air India has deployed additional resources, including help desk kiosks, at touch points and airports to ensure a smooth experience for Vistara passengers post its merger with the airline next week, an official said on Wednesday. Full-service carriers -- Air India and Vistara, a joint venture between Tatas and Singapore Airlines -- set to be merged on November 11. Post-merger, the routes and schedule operated by Vistara and the Vistara in-flight experience will remain the same. Also, Vistara aircraft will be identified by a special four-digit Air India code beginning with the digit '2'. The official in the know said Air India deployed additional resources across touch points in India, including help desk kiosks, at the curbside before terminal entry at hubs and metro city airports. There will be "customer support staff wearing 'How may I assist you?' Air India x Vistara branded t-shirts for support", the official added. In due course, Vistara airport ticketing offices and check-in

Air India merger: What happens to Vistara credit cards, rewards, benefits

All Club Vistara (CV) points, including those set to expire in September and October 2024, will be transferred to your Flying Returns account by November 12, 2024.