TBM Staff - Mumbai
Air India announced on Friday that the integration of its maintenance operations with Vistara, approved by the aviation regulator DGCA, is set to enhance operational efficiency and on-time performance. The merger aims to reduce aircraft turnaround times and optimise resources, ultimately improving overall performance.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has granted CAR 145 certification, allowing the consolidation of Air India and Vistara’s aircraft line maintenance operations. This move aligns with the ongoing merger between the two Tata Group airlines, a process that began with the announcement in November 2022. Post-merger, Singapore Airlines will hold a 25.1% stake in Air India.
With the integration, Air India will benefit from a unified maintenance team and shared resources, enabling better service for a mixed fleet of wide-body and narrow-body aircraft. This is expected to enhance schedule integrity and reliability. Currently, Air India operates with in-house line maintenance at 12 stations across the country.
The merged operations will also bring about real-time availability of maintenance records, facilitating quicker diagnosis and resolution of technical issues. Additionally, the combined resources will create economies of scale, boosting manpower and resource mobilisation for maintenance tasks across the Tata Group’s fleet, including Air India Express aircraft, which have been serviced by Vistara’s team.
