Are Indian Travellers Losing Reliable Full-Service Options After The Vistara-Air India Merger?

When Mumbai-based financial consultant Hemant Mehra boarded a 7 a.m. flight from Delhi last year, he expected what Vistara had long promised its loyal flyers — a smooth, on-time journey with service that matched his schedule. But instead of the familiar purple and gold aircraft, he was redirected to an Air India-operated flight — delayed, underwhelming, and confusingly managed.

“I paid for Vistara, but flew Air India,” he said. “That’s not what I signed up for. I don’t have the luxury of time when I’m flying for back-to-back meetings. There was news that the airline will merge with Air India but no one was informed about it, at least not me!”

With the official merger of Vistara into Air India in November 2024, which returned to its parent company Tata Group, after being run by the government for many years, business travellers like Mehra are beginning to feel the turbulence. It is also because Air India is the only full-service private carrier that offers accessibility to almost all the routes with business class options.

Tough skies for Air India

Moreover, the reliability factor has also affected the travellers. A case in point is the recent Air India plane AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad which killed 241 passengers onboard and dozens on the ground totalling the death toll of 270. The plane was doomed just minutes after taking off from Ahmedabad Airport, bound for Gatwick, London. Since the deadly plane crash in Ahmedabad, at least five Air India flights have been under scrutiny. A flight from San Francisco to Mumbai via Kolkata experienced a technical issue on June 17, and passengers were required to deplane. Another Delhi-bound plane took a U-turn to Hong Kong on Monday, and there have been reports of delays, air conditioning issues, and reduced services.

In the span of just a few days, Air India has been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Since the deadly crash, the skies haven't been calm for the airline. One after another, several Air India flights have reported mid-air technical issues – from U-turns just minutes after takeoff to emergency landings and long delays.

While many have cancelled their bookings as videos of passengers travelling in Air India are surfacing on the internet showing empty seats, Raveena Tandon took a flight on June 16 and showed her Air India boarding pass stating "new beginnings". She posted a series of photos from the plane and wrote, "New Beginnings … to rise and fly again against all odds … to pick up and start all over , new resolve towards greater strength. The atmosphere solemn and the crews welcoming smiles, tinted with sadness. The Silent passengers and crew bonding with unspoken condolences and subtle confidence. Condolences to the families that have lost their loved ones . A wound that will never heal. Godspeed always @airindia. Fearless and a will To overcome and be strong again. Jai Hind. (sic)."

Dreamliner safety concerns

While the speculations have no end and the inquiry is still on to navigate the reason for the clash, Air India chairman N Chandrasekaran said that this specific tail AI171 has a clean history. “The black ox and recorders will tell the story. We have to wait for that. As far as engines are concerned both engines of the aircraft had clean history. The right engine was put in March this year. Left engine was last serviced in 2023 and was due for it next maintenance in December 2025,” Chandrasekaran said in an interview.

Boeing 787 Dreamliner

An American wide-body airliner developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes has seen numerous concerns and complains. All of them are getting a second look after AI 717 crash. The problems began in early 2013, when fire broke out onboard two Dreamliners owned by Japanese airline. The founding company temporarily halted the delivery, however came cleared to resume flight. In 2019 an exposé by The New York Times reported that Dreamliner’s former quality manager, John Barnett filed a complaint alleging sloppy work around the wires that connect the planes’ flight control systems, which can lead to catastrophic events. From using substandard or damaged parts to dented hydraulic tube with a scrap, Boing was alleged for doing it all. The company sidestepped the charges and Barnett was also found dead.

Last year, engineer Sam Salehpour reported that sections of the fuselage of the Dreamliner were improperly connected, with gaps that could cause the plane to break apart during flight. In fact, after the Air India crash in Ahmedabad, a former crew member of the Boeing also shared a post alleging that the aircraft have been facing issues for sometime, however, all the complains have been ignored. Former Australian cricketer David Warner shared the post of the former crew member.

In a statement on Dreamliner website, Boeing defended the integrity of the Dreamliner: “For the in-service fleet, based on comprehensive analysis no safety issues have been identified related to composite gap management and our engineers are completing exhaustive analysis to determine any long-term inspection and maintenance required, with oversight from the Federal Aviation Administration, FAA.”

Boeing President and CEO Kelly Ortberg said, “Our deepest condolences go out to the loved ones of the passengers and crew on board Air India Flight 171, as well as everyone affected in Ahmedabad. I have spoken with Air India Chairman N. Chandrasekaran to offer our full support, and a Boeing team stands ready to support the investigation led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.”

Boeing will defer to India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) to provide information about Air India Flight 171, in adherence with the United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization protocol known as Annex 13.

As we write, the investigation is still going on for the AI 171 crash. Some reports also suggest that inquiry has been ordered for Dreamliner over its safety concerns.

Full-service void

Post-merger, India has effectively lost its only serious full-service competitor to Air India. With budget airlines such as IndiGo, Akasa Air, and SpiceJet dominating domestic routes, frequent flyers who once relied on Vistara’s punctuality, clean aircraft, and consistent onboard experience now face an uncomfortable choice: compromise on comfort or risk delays and uncertainty with Air India.

“Business travel in India is about efficiency and not fuss. Vistara was equipped with both. Now Air India is the only full-service player left, and the inconsistency of all kinds makes it hard to rely on the airline. But It has been in the business for a long time, so I know it will come back strong and the company will take note of it," says Yamini Shekhawat, a senior finance executive based in Mumbai.

Road to reinvention

Ever since the takeover of Air India by the Tata Group and the merger of Vistara into the legacy airline, Tata Group has been investing in modernising Air India. It has ordered new aircraft, retained staff, and restructured routes, however, the airline is still battling public perception and operational issues. And the recent plane crash and multiple delays, misplaced luggage complaints, and even unscheduled crew changes have caused even more damage. As we write, an Air India flight, AI 159f from Ahmedabad to London has been cancelled due to a technical glitch.

"The merger of Air India and Vistara will create a world-class airline, "Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran had said during the merger. "From its pre-privatization size, the fleet has grown over 2.5X, and its 300 aircraft carry nearly 200,000 passengers across 100 global destinations every day. Through its partners, the fleet offers worldwide connectivity to over 800 destinations," Chandrasekaran said in a LinkedIn.

While the intent to modernise is commendable, implementation is not catching up. According to aviation experts, Vistara's merger and inconsistencies in Air India's operations have created confusion and dissatisfaction among premium flyers. Insiders in the aviation industry accept that merging two airlines with vastly different service cultures is not easy. "Combining a brand that's been building a luxury perception with another trying to get over with its dated image is uneven," said an Indian airline who wished to remain anonymous.

Shift in strategy

Some business travellers have already started adjusting. Frequent flier Arpit Singhal, who runs a Delhi-based law firm, has started booking business class on other commercial planes. "At least the plane takes off on time. I can rely on the scheduled reliability. I am okay to sacrifice for lounge access and in-flight entertainment if I am meeting the client in another city or country on time," says Singhal. He also says that sometimes, he takes foreign carriers for certain domestic sectors, especially Delhi-Bengaluru, which has Singapore Airlines operating via codeshare, an operation agreement between two or more airlines where they sell seats on the same flight under their own respective flight numbers.

As of now, Air India is the only full-service carrier that provides a more traditional business-class experience with amenities like complimentary lounge access, hot meals, and in-flight entertainment. On the other hand, commercial airlines have different strategies which don't match the Air India offerings.

What lies ahead?

The coming months will be critical for Air India to consolidate brand identities and streamline service delivery. Whether it can retain the trust of Vistara's premium clientele will depend on how fast and how consistently it delivers.

As of now, Air India's loyal business class travellers watch closely, booking apprehensively, boarding cautiously, and lounging for a return to the dependable skies and technologies. "All my life I have travelled in Air India because most government officials travel by Air India carrier. Even if it was more expensive at times than other carriers, Air India was the only option and I have enjoyed that mostly because it gives extra baggage allowances and when you are going on a transfer you have extra bags. But lately, I have moved to other

domestic airlines even when I am flying to the nearest countries. It's safe, and on time," says Atul S, a retired Indian armed forces officer.

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