As the boarding gates at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport closed and passengers made last-minute calls, flyers settled into their aubergine-coloured seats. Captain AdarshMohan informed the passengers that he was flying the Vistara aircraft “for the last time”.
The warning was necessary as the 10-year-old Vistara brand, which merged with Air India, flew off into the sunset on Monday.
Captain Adarsh Mohan’s announcement prompted some young airmen to click photos of the cabin with its dim purple-orange mood lights. Selfies were also taken on the plane. On this special day, there was a special complimentary dessert on offer. In addition to the usual food and drink, the flight crew served strawberry shortcake topped with vanilla sauce as a farewell gesture.
Earlier in the day, a farewell mood had set in at Terminal 2 of the Bengaluru airport itself, where this reporter was waiting to board a Vistara flight for the last day. Vistara UK flight 854 was delayed and boarding was delayed by almost an hour. Ground staff attributed the delay to air traffic congestion in Mumbai, which resulted in a delayed arrival of the flight to Bengaluru. The commotion between Vistara ground staff and passengers traveling to Mumbai over the delay was quickly quelled: It was no ordinary day, after all.
“Some delays can be excused for the airline today as this is one of its last operations as Vistara. It is one of the few brands that will miss flyers from now on,” said a 50-year-old financial professional traveling on the Bengaluru-Mumbai route.
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The changing of the guard was seen at the check-in counters at the airport. Long queues at the airline’s check-in counters prompted Vistara employees to seek help from the Air India team. Air India staff subsequently entered and opened two counters to relieve the pressure.
The merger with Air India comes nearly a decade after Vistara began operations with three Airbus jets in 2015. The airline was a 51:49 joint venture between the Tata Group and Singapore Airlines and saw an infusion of Rs 9,900 crore. It now operated about 2,400 flights a week and had a fleet of 70 aircraft.
The merger closed nearly two years after it was announced. In 2022, Tata Group and Singapore Airlines (SIA) said they agreed to merge Vistara with Air India to foster synergies and gain share in the fast-growing airline market.
The process came with its own turbulence including pilot mixing.
