Air India-Vistara merger in progress; awaiting regulatory approvals: Singapore Airlines

The merger of Vistara with Air India is under a deal wherein Singapore Airlines will acquire a 25.1 per cent stake in Air India.

Vistara has made arrangements for the interim period for an alternative uniform which will be provided to its cabin crew in order to ensure continuity of business

People aware of the development said the CCI has not given expedited permission to the process and has instead sent a notice to the two airlines, asking why an investigation on the impact of the merger should not be conducted. The process has moved to phase 2 which will entail more discussion between the parties and the CCI, an official of the antitrust body said.

The merger between the two full-service airlines of the Tata Group has already received clearance from India's antitrust body and Vistara CEO Vinod Kannan told ET that other approvals, including from foreign regulators and for foreign investment, are likely to come in the first half of next year. While this process is happening in the background, the airline jointly owned by Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines will continue to add more aircraft and routes, and invest in new products and services, he said.

For the financial year ending March 2023, the SIA Group posted a record net profit of SGD 2,157 million (USD 1,598 million) for the year, versus an SGD 962 million (USD713 million) net loss in the previous year, an earnings gain of SGD 3,119 million (USD 2,310 million).

Tata-owned Air India and Vistara, a joint venture between the Indian conglomerate and Singapore Airlines, has signed an interline agreement that are used to handle passengers or baggage between two or more airlines. This is primarily used to handle passengers and baggage travelling to destinations with multiple stops. The new interline partnership with Vistara is in addition to over 100 interline agreements and close to 50 through check-in agreements it has with partner airlines globally.

India Business News: MUMBAI: Tata group owned Air India on Wednesday announced entering into an interline pact with Vistara.

India Business News: Ahead of their impending merger, Air India and Vistara customers will now be able to book mixed-itineraries on a single ticket across both the airline

India Business News: NEW DELHI: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has issued a show-cause notice to Air India, asking why the proposal to merge Vistara into it sho.