Tata Group tips

Air India, privatized in 2022 and now part of the Tata Group, made big strides in 2023 to make up for  years of neglect. The airline ordered a large number of aircraft for its ambitious growth plans, unveiled its new brand imagery, and showcased the planned retrofit of its existing widebodies. The airline is also preparing to induct its first A350 aircraft into service.

Two major names in Indian aviation — Air India and Vistara — are set to become one. On November 11, Vistara will officially merge into Air India. Join Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia and Skift Research Analyst Ashab Rizvi as they dive into the merger, weighing whether it’s a strategic win or a potential misstep for the Tata Group. 

This week in Mumbai, Air India Express unveiled its brand new look on a brand new Boeing 737–8 aircraft. The message was clear: A break away from its staid image as a sleepy subsidiary no one talks about.

Clearly Vinod Kannan, the CEO of Vistara, may have had to field this question on the possible Vistara-Air India merger one too many times.

Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines have agreed to consolidate Air India and Vistara by March 2024.

Indian carrier Vistara reported its first-ever net profit for the quarter ending December 2022, according to statement from the airline on Monday.  

Corporate travel at global giant Tata Consultancy Services is on track to return to 2019 levels, despite predictions that the professional services sector would never recover due to company pledges to reduce carbon footprints.

The Tatas will let go of Indian full-service carrier Vistara as they look to merge the airline with the more “internationally-recognized” Air India, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said on Monday.

Thailand-based Minor Hotels will launch its luxury Anantara brand in India with Anantara Jaipur Hotel in the north Indian state of Rajasthan, scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2023. The hotel will feature 150 guest rooms and suites, including four terrace suites with private plunge pools, and a 160-square-meter royal suite with a large terrace and private pool. Besides bars and restaurants, other facilities will include a spa, beauty salon, gym, semi-outdoor pool, kids’ club, and event spaces. The hotel will be able to cater to weddings of up to 2,500 guests with its collection of indoor and outdoor venues. “Jaipur is one of India’s most vibrant destinations, with a huge destination wedding potential, and I look forward to working with (owner) Ajay Gangwal and his team to launch our first Anantara in India, which is a significant strategic step for Minor Hotels,” said Dillip Rajakarier, CEO of Minor Hotels. Minor Hotels currently has a portfolio of more than 530 hotels and resorts in 56 countries across its brands, which include Anantara, Avani, Elewana, Oaks, NH, nhow and Tivoli. In other developments, Hilton announced that it, too, has an interest in Jaipur, where it will debut its luxury brand, the Waldorf Astoria. Radisson, too, is thinking luxury, and announced on Wednesday that it would be debuting its luxury lifestyle brand, Radisson Collection in India with the signing of the first hotel in Hyderabad.