9 years ago, India welcomed a new airline but not just any airline a premium, fullservice airline named Vistara. A joint venture between two formidable companies TATA Group and Singapore Airlines Vistara sought to provide travelers a fresh alternative to the dated & dysfunctional Air India and Jet Airways India's other full service carriers at the time. Passengers were invited to "fly the new feeling" onboard a brand new fleet of Airbus narrowbodies, and, more recently, Dreamliner widebodies all staffed with crew trained to the highest standards of service.

Launching any new airline is difficult and unfortunately the pandemic hit just as Vistara was taking delivery of its first widebody airplanes but management's conservative & practical approach to growth meant the carrier was able to survive COVID and ultimately turn a profit for the first time in 2022.

Vistara almost certainly had a bright future ahead of it as an independent airline, but the market landscape in India had evolved drastically. TATA had recently regained control of Air India taking the flag carrier private after 70 years of government ownership. And of course from a business standpoint, merging the two operations would be a no brainer the combined airline would realize the benefits of scale, shared resources, and less competition... but it would also mean the end of the Vistara brand as we know it. Now of course, the integration process (assuming the merger goes through) will likely take a number of years, but given I was already planning a trip to India for this year... I had to give them a try.

So I cordially invite you to fly the new feeling with me on Vistara's FIRST Boeing 7879 Dreamliner from Mumbai to London!

Flight Details:
Airline / Flight No: Vistara (UK) 15
Aircraft Type: Boeing 7879 (VTTSD)
From: Mumbai, India (BOM)
To: London, England (LHR)
Departure Time: 12 March 2024 2:45pm IST
Arrival Time: 12 March 2024 7:00pm BST

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Intro
00:54 Checking in at Mumbai T2
03:25 Adani Lounge EAST
05:20 Arrival at Gate 71 & Boarding the DREAMLINER
07:35 Pushback, Taxi and Takeoff
09:15 IFE, Wifi, Onboard Service
11:50 Lav Tour and Productivity Mode
13:40 Economy and Premium Economy Walkthrough
14:10 Lie Flat Bed / Seat Tour
14:44 PreArrival Service
16:04 Approach and Landing into London Heathrow
16:48 Final Thoughts