Any clue/speculation what happens to CV Points after Vistara's merger with Air India?

[Rjain1111]

As you would have seen Tata's are merging Vistara with Air India. It is definitely sad to see such an amazing brand go away. Hopefully, Air India will carry on the legacy of Vistara's experience.

Tatas, SIA announce plans to merge Vistara with Air India

Combined entity will be India’s largest international carrier and second-largest domestic airline

www.telegraphindia.com

Given that many credit cards offer conversion of their points to CV points or even offer co-branded credit cards (Axis, SBI, Indusind) wondering what will happen to the Club Vistara Member benefits and more importantly the CV points, upgrade vouchers etc.

Anyone has thought this through? What are your strategies? Use all CV points or hopeful that Air India will continue with the same loyalty programme?

 

[deep@vie]

high chances that air india will continue with same loyalty programme

 

[Krishna1905]

i guess we have so much of time to speculate, as the merger will complete by Mar 2024.

 

[gabu]

I am hoping for the positive. To be able to use card voucher on all air India domestic routes. 😉

 

[gurbina]

By the time it happens this card is very likely to be discontinued by then. These benefits, vouchers, upgrades likely to be cut off so they are not valid by the time of the merger.

Club Vistara likely to be absorbed into FlyingReturns 1:1 which in my personal opinion is a devaluation, just look at the redemption rates of both.

FlyingReturns is an unpopular loyalty program overall and Air India product is one of the worst products around for a "full" service airline at international level and definitely among the worst (or even the worst) product for premier cabins.

If I am not mistaken all Vistara operations and management basically comes from Singapore Airlines. I'm quite happy with Vistara, and I hope they can somehow transform Air India into something similar or better.

But when it comes to FlyingReturns I doubt they'll make any improvements after so many devaluations and the current state of the loyalty program. It's not easy to do a comeback from being one of the worst loyalty programs around. At best they'll bring it back to a "not so bad" loyalty program.

But at the moment is probably better to credit all their flights to some other FFP and ditch FlyingReturns at least for international travel.

Since the merger is Air India Express, Air India, Vistara and Air Asia they'll have a big piece of the market and don't have to worry about other airlines or loyalty programs so it's likely that's one of the last things they'll revamp.

 

[krishc]

It would be better if they keep club vistara and discontinue flying returns.

 

[Parvesh Goyal]

By the time it happens this card is very likely to be discontinued by then. These benefits, vouchers, upgrades likely to be cut off so they are not valid by the time of the merger.

Club Vistara likely to be absorbed into FlyingReturns 1:1 which in my personal opinion is a devaluation, just look at the redemption rates of both.

FlyingReturns is an unpopular loyalty program overall and Air India product is one of the worst products around for a "full" service airline at international level and definitely among the worst (or even the worst) product for premier cabins.

If I am not mistaken all Vistara operations and management basically comes from Singapore Airlines. I'm quite happy with Vistara, and I hope they can somehow transform Air India into something similar or better.

But when it comes to FlyingReturns I doubt they'll make any improvements after so many devaluations and the current state of the loyalty program. It's not easy to do a comeback from being one of the worst loyalty programs around. At best they'll bring it back to a "not so bad" loyalty program.

But at the moment is probably better to credit all their flights to some other FFP and ditch FlyingReturns at least for international travel.

Since the merger is Air India Express, Air India, Vistara and Air Asia they'll have a big piece of the market and don't have to worry about other airlines or loyalty programs so it's likely that's one of the last things they'll revamp.

Actually it's too early to reach to a conclusion. Tatas just have taken over Air India. We shouldn't leave hope. Tatas will improve the quality and service of Air India too. There are lot of obligations like older aircrafts, sarkari staff and of course sarkari system on Tatas. They are managing Vistara in very good manner and ofcourse they will make Air India a very good brand as Vistara is.