Bhubaneswar, Nov 12: Vistara's last flight from Odisha took off for Delhi Monday night, marking the end of the airline's operations from the state ahead of its merger with Air India.

The flight, UK 782, departed from Odisha's Biju Patnaik International Airport at 8.30 pm, and landed at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport at 10.55 pm.

This flight was one of the final departures before the full merger of Vistara with Air India.

Ahead of its merger, Vistara thanked passengers for their continued support. "Thank you for being part of this unforgettable journey and showering us with your #VistaraLove. We will forever cherish these memories. Please follow @airindia for all the latest updates," Vistara said in a post on X.

Vistara, a joint venture between Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, will fully merge with Air India, which is also owned by Tata Group.

To ensure a seamless transition for customers, the airlines have made comprehensive arrangements on the ground. After the merger, Vistara flights will be operated by Air India and identified by a special four-digit Air India code starting with the digit "2." For example, flight UK 955 will become AI 2955, making it easier for customers to identify Vistara flights on the Air India website after November 12.

Vistara's routes and schedules will remain unchanged, and the in-flight experience, including products and services, will continue to be offered by the same crew.

Air India has allocated additional resources across various touchpoints in India and is collaborating with partner airports to facilitate the transition. Measures include help desk kiosks at curbside areas before terminal entry in hub and metro city airports.

Additional support includes customer service staff in "How may I assist you?" Air India x Vistara-branded T-shirts, who will guide customers with old Vistara tickets to help desks or Air India support staff.

Vistara's airport ticketing offices and check-in terminals will progressively transition to Air India. Advisory notices will be displayed on self-service kiosks, guiding passengers to select Air India for check-in for Vistara flights under the AI2 code starting November 12.

At international airports, customer support staff in branded T-shirts will be available, and signage will be posted near check-in desks to assist customers.

Additionally, customers contacting the Vistara call center will be automatically redirected to Air India representatives to ensure a seamless experience during the transition.

Over the past few months, 270,000 customers who had booked Vistara flights have been migrated to Air India and informed of the change. Furthermore, over 4.5 million Vistara loyalty program members are being integrated into Air India's loyalty program.

The unified Air India offers customers greater connectivity, with access to over 90 domestic and international destinations and 800 more through codeshare and interline partners.

Air India's narrow-body fleet is also undergoing upgrades, with new aircraft being delivered, legacy aircraft refitted with new interiors, and Vistara's catering now extended to Air India.

(ANI)

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