Air India-Vistara merger: 7,000 employees to be integrated by June – Details inside

financialexpress.com:

Air India is on track to finalize its merger with Vistara by the end of this year, with plans to commence the integration of over 7,000 employees starting in June, as reported by The Indian Express.

This accelerated timeline was shared during a town hall meeting on Monday, where Air India and Vistara CEOs provide updates to the staff, according to sources cited to the Indian Express. 

The earlier-than-anticipated timeline contrasts with previous statements made in January by Vistara’s CEO Kannan, who had suggested that the merger might extend until the middle of next year. However, Kannan, who also serves as the Chief Integration Officer at the Air India group, seems to have revised the projections in light of recent progress.

The merger between Air India and Vistara has already secured most of the required regulatory approvals, including nods from competition watchdogs in India and Singapore. While the approval process before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has concluded, the final order is awaited. Additionally, the application for approval of Singapore Airlines (SIA) in the merged entity has been submitted. SIA, owning a 49% stake in Vistara, is expected to hold a 25.1% stake in the merged Air India.

Apart from consolidating Air India and Vistara, the group is simultaneously merging its budget carriers Air India Express and AIX Connect (formerly AirAsia India). Once both mergers are finalized, the Air India group will boast a full-service carrier in Air India and a low-cost airline in Air India Express.

During the recent update, Air India’s CEO Campbell Wilson and Vistara’s CEO Vinod Kannan assured employees that while final approvals are expected soon, the operational harmonization process is proceeding