The aubergine-coloured airline, Vistara, flew under its own flight code ‘UK’ for the last time on Monday (November 12, 2024). It will henceforth fly under Air India’s ‘AI’ code, completing the merger of the two airlines ahead of the third anniversary of the erstwhile national carrier’s purchase by Tata Sons in January 2022. Although the airline that brought premium travel back to Indian skies failed to clock profit in the nine years of its existence, it proved to be a test bed for a travel experience that is fast catching on in the post-pandemic world, forcing some operators, including IndiGo, to tweak their business models.
The full-service Vistara made premium travel accessible by becoming the first Indian carrier to introduce the ‘Premium Economy Class’, a sweet spot between the ‘Economy Class’ and ‘Business Class’ — or cost and luxury — in a market that’s dominated by low-cost carriers. It offered 24 ‘Premium Economy’ seats besides eight ‘Business Class’ seats and 126 ‘Economy Class’ seats on its aircraft. The premium class experience offered greater legroom; a fine dining experience; an escort service at airports for women travellers; and priority check-in, boarding and baggage handling.
Moreover, the airline’s boarding music, which comprised music tracks from rock bands Queen and Pink Floyd, singers such as Bob Dylan, and jazz artist Louis Armstrong; diffused mood lighting; and the philosophy of prioritising “customer deligh.
