In a strategic move toward their impending merger, the Tata Group has invited select Boeing 787 pilots from Air India to fly Vistara’s Dreamliner fleet. As reported by The Economic Times (ET), the management of Tata Group has extended an offer to Air India pilots, asking if they would be interested in temporarily joining Vistara as line captains while maintaining their current pay structure. The consent forms for this opportunity were due to be submitted by August 15th.
Air India and Vistara, the two prominent Indian carriers operating Boeing 787 planes, are currently in the process of combining their operations to create a comprehensive full-service airline. Although the merger is still awaiting regulatory approval, the recent move suggests that resource-sharing initiatives might be initiated before the formal completion of the merger.
With Air India boasting a fleet of 27 Boeing 787-8s and Vistara operating four Boeing 787-9s, the collaboration aims to harness the strengths of both airlines. Vistara is also expecting the delivery of another Dreamliner (VT-TSO) on August 31st, adding to its growing fleet.
The merger proposal, submitted to the Competition Commission of India (CCI) four months ago, remains under review. Air India provided responses to inquiries from CCI in June, although a final decision from the regulatory body is still pending.
If all regulatory hurdles are overcome, the merger is projected to finalize by April 2024. The merger entails Vistara, co-owned by the Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, becoming part of the Air India family. Alongside the consolidation, Singapore Airlines plans to invest Rs 2,059 crore in Air India, securing a 25.1% stake in the airline post-merger.
