Air India & Vistara CEOs To Address Staff On Proposed Merger

Officials have revealed that the CEOs of Air India and Vistara are scheduled to address their respective staff on 13 May regarding the proposed merger of the two airlines.

The merger plan between Vistara and Air India, which involves Singapore Airlines acquiring a 25.1 per cent stake in Air India, was initially announced in November 2022. Vistara, a joint venture between Singapore Airlines and Tata Group, is at the center of this proposed merger.

The upcoming townhall meeting, slated to be held in a phygital format, will witness the participation of employees from both Air India and Vistara. Air India's CEO and MD, Campbell Wilson, and Vistara's CEO, Vinod Kannan, who also serves as the Chief Integration Officer for the merger, will address the gathering, as confirmed by one of the officials on Friday.

The purpose of the meeting is to provide staff members with an overview of the merger and its broader aspects, aiding in better understanding and alignment. Currently, Air India boasts a workforce of approximately 17,000 employees, while Vistara has around 6,500 employees.

Vinod Kannan expressed optimism about the smooth completion of the merger, stating, "We expect to complete the merger in a smooth manner," during an interaction with PTI on April 5. However, the merger is pending approval from the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in India.

In March of this year, Singapore's competition regulator CCCS conditionally approved the proposed merger. Additionally, in September 2023, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) granted approval for the deal, subject to certain conditions.