\Vistara-Air India merger: Tata Group-owned Air India will formally merge with the Vistara brand on November 12. Singapore Airlines (SIA) has recently disclosed that the Government of India has granted approval for foreign direct investment (FDI) regarding the merger agreement with Air India. Commencing from September 3, passengers will be gradually re-routed to the Air India website for ticket reservations, with all flights set to be exclusively conducted under the ‘Vistara’ brand until November 11. That means, from September 3, users will not be able to book Vistara flights after November 11.
“Vistara will continue to operate flights and accept bookings as usual until November 11, 2024,” the airline said.
Furthermore, SIA has outlined that the entirety of Vistara’s fleet will be assimilated into Air India’s activities, and reservations for existing Vistara flight routes will be redirected to Air India’s online platform.
What happens to Club Vistara loyalty programme?
1. The loyalty programme, Club Vistara, operated by the airline, will undergo a merger with Air India’s Flying Returns programme.
2. During the transition period, your existing Club Vistara membership will continue to be in effect.
3. Subsequently, following the completion of the integration process, your Club Vistara account details will be seamlessly transferred to the Air India Flying Returns programme.
Vistara said, “The process of integration between Air India and Vistara is ongoing, while we await some regulatory approvals. As we work towards a merged, larger airline, Club Vistara will also merge with Air India’s Flying Returns.”
Your tier status
Your tier status will be recalculated based on the cumulative points from both programmes.
This means that you will keep your current Club Vistara tier status at least, or you might even be upgraded if you meet the criteria based on the total points accumulated.
Following the integration, the terms and conditions of Flying Returns will govern your membership.
CV Points and Tier Points
During the migration process, your CV Points and Tier Points will be smoothly transferred to the Flying Returns programme at an equivalent 1:1 ratio. It’s important to note that these points will retain their validity for a minimum of one year from the migration date, regardless of any previous expiration dates set.
Existing bookings with CV Points or vouchers
All upcoming reservations made using CV Points or Complimentary Flight Ticket vouchers will be moved to the Flying Returns program. You and your selected individuals will be provided with updated flight information following the transfer. Any modifications to current bookings will be governed by the rules of Flying Returns.
Valid upgrade and complimentary ticket vouchers will also be transferred with existing validity.
Unutilised vouchers
All valid, unutilised One-Class Upgrade vouchers and Complimentary Flight Ticket vouchers will be transferred to Flying Returns with their current validity. This means that the usage of these vouchers will be governed by Flying Returns’ program rules. This ensures that your vouchers retain their value and can be used in accordance with the guidelines set by Flying Returns.
Linking Club Vistara account with Flying Returns
To ensure a smooth transition, please follow these steps to link your Club Vistara and Flying Returns accounts:
> Log in to your Club Vistara account.
> Navigate to the “My Account” section and choose the option for “Link Accounts.”
> Enter your 9-digit Flying Returns Membership ID, and then proceed to submit the information.
Upon successful matching of your account details in both programs, you will receive a confirmation message along with an email acknowledgment. However, if there are any discrepancies in the provided details, you will be guided to update the specific fields to ensure a seamless match before proceeding with linking the accounts.
In the scenario where your Club Vistara account remains unlinked to a Flying Returns account at the time of the merger, Air India will automatically merge your accounts if the essential details are aligned correctly.
In cases where discrepancies arise, a new Flying Returns account will be generated, and your CV Points, Tier Points, and Vouchers will be transferred to this new account for consolidated management.