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Tag: Vistara

  • Henna Pande returns to FCB Kinnect as EVP – north, ready for a new chapter

    Henna Pande returns to FCB Kinnect as EVP – north, ready for a new chapter

    MUMBAI: FCB Kinnect has welcomed back Henna Pande as executive vice president – north. Following a well-deserved sabbatical in 2024 to focus on personal well-being, she is set to steer the agency’s Delhi operations towards further expansion and innovation.

    With over 15 years in the industry, Pande played a pivotal role in strengthening Kinnect’s presence in the north. During her six-year tenure, culminating as vice president (North), she expanded the Delhi team from 15 to over 100 professionals and worked with global clients such as Amazon, Nokia, Bausch + Lomb, vivo, and Vistara.

    “Rejoining FCB Kinnect feels like returning home,” Pande shared. “Having built the Delhi operations from the ground up, I look forward to this next phase. Working with Rohan Mehta and Chandni Shah has always been an exciting, high-impact experience. Now, with Neville and Priyanka driving an idea-first culture, we have a distinct advantage in turning bold creative thinking into measurable success. The ambition and vision at Kinnect are unparalleled, and I am eager to set new benchmarks and make a meaningful impact.”

    FCB Kinnect & FCB/SIX India CEO Mehta described Pande as a driving force in the industry, with a keen understanding of business and a strong ability to blend innovation with operational excellence.

    COO Shah added, “Pande has been instrumental in shaping our presence in the north. She understands what makes Kinnect unique – a culture built on creativity, agility, and seamless collaboration. With her back in Delhi, we are poised for even greater success.”

  • Deepti Sampat has transitioned to Air India following Vistara merger

    Deepti Sampat has transitioned to Air India following Vistara merger

    MUMBAI:  Deepti Sampat has officially transitioned to the role of vice president marketing  at Air India, following  the merger of Vistara and Air India. Her shift to Air India took place in November, but because this was not reported earlier, we are posting it now.

    Having spent over five years at Vistara as VP-marketing, , Sampat reflects on her journey, expressing gratitude to her colleagues and the customers who supported the airline, helping build it into a strong brand within Indian aviation. She earlier  has had stints with Oberoi group, tripadvisor, Expedia, Talent Edge, and finally Vistara. In various roles.  

    Sampat’s rich educational background includes an MBA in marketing from the Indian Institute of Planning and Management, and a certificate in business strategy from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. Her career trajectory spans multiple senior marketing roles, showcasing her expertise in driving brand strategy and customer experience in highly competitive markets.

    Her tenure at Vistara was marked by numerous accolades.As she embarks on this new chapter at Air India, Sampat aims to leverage her extensive experience to enhance marketing initiatives and further elevate the airline’s service standards in the Indian aviation sector.

    This new appointment emphasises Air India’s commitment to strengthening its brand identity while integrating the values and services of Vistara into its operations.

  • Vistara presents ‘Flight to Riverdale’ A 1964 journey with Netflix’s The Archies

    Vistara presents ‘Flight to Riverdale’ A 1964 journey with Netflix’s The Archies

    Mumbai: Vistara, a full-service carrier and a joint venture of the Tata group and Singapore Airlines is thrilled to announce its exclusive collaboration with Netflix for the highly anticipated upcoming film, The Archies, for a one-of-a-kind experience – ‘Flight to Riverdale.’ The special flight UK 1964, welcomed aboard the cast of the film for this unique experience along with lucky fans and select Club Vistara members amongst others. Set in the 1960s, the film reimagines the legendary Archie comics as a live-action musical set in the imaginary idyllic town of Riverdale in India.

    UK 1964; the ‘Flight to Riverdale’ commenced from Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi at 14:40 hours and arrived at Manohar International Airport, Goa at 17:15 hours. The flight was operated on Vistara’s iconic retrojet and aimed to offer the passengers a nostalgic journey by recreating the world of Archies on board and by flying them to Riverdale; thereby offering a chance to bring a dream destination alive, one that was set up at the Manohar international Airport, Goa! The celebration onboard was marked by retro-themed décor in line with the film’s aesthetics, specially curated meals and beverages reminiscent of Pop Tate’s, customised Vistara and Netflix giveaways, and a chance for the passengers to travel with their favourite characters from The Archies.

    The cast of the Archies, accompanied by the renowned directors Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti participated in this experience onboard UK 1964. The cast was present in character to give an authentic touch to the experience and included Suhana Khan as Veronica Lodge, Khushi Kapoor as Betty Cooper, Agastya Nanda as Archie Andrews, Aditi Saigal as Ethel Muggs, Vedang Raina as Reggie Mantle, Mihir Ahuja as Jughead Jones, and Yuvraj Menda as Dilton Doiley. While the Archies soundtrack played as part of the boarding and landing music, our in-flight entertainment system Vistara World showcased exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpses into the making of The Archies, enhancing the overall experience.

    Vistara vice president marketing Deepti Sampat said, “We are delighted to be the first Indian airline to partner with Netflix to curate a journey down memory lane with our special ‘Flight to Riverdale’. Vistara Retrojet, with its nostalgic charm, not only transports us back to a golden era but also propels us into a future where the boundaries between cinema and air travel seamlessly merge, offering passengers an experience that transcends the ordinary. UK 1964 will surely leave a permanent trail of enduring memories while also evoking nostalgia.”

    Netflix senior director of marketing partnerships – APAC, Shilpa Singh added, “The Archies celebrates all things food, fashion and music from the 1960s. UK 1964, Vistara’s Retrojet ‘Flight to Riverdale’ is a unique and immersive experience curated to transport the passengers back in time, all while enjoying the company of the cast and crew. This special collaboration will carry the participants into the world of The Archies before it launches on Netflix.”

    Upon touching down in Goa, the celebrations continued with the arrival hall having been transformed into a mini-Riverdale adorned with retro-themed props and backdrops from the film. A lively flash mob, featuring the cast, a dance troupe, and the Vistara crew ensured a memorable welcome for all.

  • Shyft & Vistara partner to launch in-flight wellness content series ‘feel the pause’

    Shyft & Vistara partner to launch in-flight wellness content series ‘feel the pause’

    Mumbai: Leading health and wellness platform, Shyft has launched ‘feel the pause’, a series of in-flight health & wellness content curated for full-service carrier Vistara, brought to you by TATA and Singapore Airlines.

    The company will produce over a 1,000 minutes of health and wellness based content, which will be hosted exclusively on ‘Vistara World’, the in-flight entertainment system onboard Vistara aircraft globally. 

    The series will include four key libraries – sleep solutions, relaxing the body, relaxing the mind and working aid; and will comprise a variety of content formats including sleep inducing stories, in-flight stretches, breathing exercises, meditation and music tracks. 

    The content from Shyft will offer tools that will allow flyers to deal with insomnia and travel anxiety, with sleep stories based on classic tales such as the Pied Piper of Hamelin and tranquil music tracks.

    Commenting on the partnership, Shyft founder Pooja Khanna said, “We’re delighted to partner with Vistara to launch ‘Feel the Pause’, and bring our expertise in health & wellness to add to the wonderful flying experience. As more people around the world start to increasingly focus on their health & well-being, we view this partnership as a tremendous opportunity for millions of flyers to experience Shyft.”

    Vistara chief commercial officer Deepak Rajawat added, “We are excited to bring more elements of delight to our customers, and enhance their journeys. As we continue to find ways to elevate premium travel experiences, we are proud to become the first Indian airline to offer special ‘wellness-focused’ IFE content in partnership with Shyft. We are sure that our customers will appreciate this enhancement, and it will become yet another reason for them to enjoy travelling with India’s finest full-service carrier.”

  • Vistara releases unique, yoga-based safety video filmed outdoors across India

    Vistara releases unique, yoga-based safety video filmed outdoors across India

    NEW DELHI: Full service carrier, Vistara has released its first-ever in-flight safety video that will be displayed in its brand-new Airbus A321neo and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. The new safety video combines the necessary safety instructions demonstrated through various Yoga asanas or postures.

    Vistara has developed the safety video in collaboration with its creative agency, FCB India. The videos will be played in Hindi and English.

    The key objective of the video is to demonstrate safety instructions in a visually appealing manner to hold the interest and attention of customers. It also aims to take customers on a relaxing journey to some of the most picturesque and off-beat locations across the length and breadth of India, showcasing the best of what the country has to offer as a travel destination, the company said in a press statement.

    Vistara’s CCO Vinod Kannan, said, “There was no better way to show Vistara’s Indian roots and its global, contemporary outlook than this. Yoga is one of India’s greatest gifts to the world, practiced by hundreds of millions of people, and our country’s diverse landscape continues to surprise natives and visitors alike. The video combines both these aspects with an important safety briefing to help travelers remain not just safe, but also arrive feeling fresh at their destinations.”

    FCB national creative director Surjo Dutt said, “Most safety instructions videos go unnoticed, playing in the background on our flights. But this one keeps you hooked from the very beginning. The essence of India – Yoga, clubbed with the awe-inspiring offbeat Indian destinations, wrap the life-saving safety briefing in the fabric of Incredible India. It gives passengers something unprecedented to watch.”

  • Vistara urges travellers to follow ‘flyercode’

    Vistara urges travellers to follow ‘flyercode’

    NEW DELHI:  Vistara today announced ‘FlyerCODE’ – a set of simple and important considerations for customers to follow for a safe flying experience. An extension of airline’s campaign #FlyingFeelsSafeAgain, the #FlyerCODE is recommended in response to the airline’s recently concluded  customer survey that revealed 55 per cent of the respondents feared exposure while travelling and apprehension about fellow passengers not following health and safety protocols. Vistara’s ‘FlyerCODE’ seeks to appeal to customers to be Careful, Observant, Distanced and Empathetic, whenever they fly. 

    “At Vistara, we have put together some extremely stringent preventive measures to ensure health and safety of our customers and staff, in line with the new regulatory guidelines. Our teams at every touchpoint are ensuring all these compliances everyday. However, this is not a battle to fight alone. This needs customers’ participation and effort just as much. FlyerCODE is made up of some very simple steps and considerations, but it’ll have an enormously huge impact in making air travel much safer,” said Vistara chief commercial officer Vinod Kannan.

    Vistara’s ‘FlyerCODE’ initiative seeks to draw customers’ attention to several touchpoints throughout their journey where they can make significant differences by small actions/considerations.

    CAREFUL

    Please provide all your contact information correctly at the time of booking and web check-in – this will help us to contact you for any need that may arise before or after your flight
    In these uncertain times, we ask you to keep your travel plans flexible
    Please make sure to wear your facemask throughout your journey. Removing it can jeopardize your safety and that of others around you
    Please look around every now and then to make sure you do not unnecessarily come in contact with others or touch any surface. Sanitize your hands every time after you touch anything around you
    Dispose off your personal protective equipment after your journey only in designated bio-hazard bins placed at the airport terminals

    OBSERVANT

    Stay informed about the latest flying/travel regulations and guidelines by the government before you book your ticket and fly to the destination, as quarantine protocols differ from state to state
    Please listen carefully to all announcements made by our staff, whether on ground or onboard our flights – they are extremely important, more than ever before

    DISTANCED

    If you need to temporarily stop while moving in a queue, please make sure to step aside to avoid coming in contact with the person behind or ahead of you
    Please follow all social distancing markers wherever placed
    Queuing up on the aisle seriously jeopardizes your and others’ safety
    Please observe the seatbelt signs and those for the aircraft lavatories. The government has disallowed queuing up outside the lavatories and non-essential movement in the aircraft

    EMPATHETIC

    These are difficult times for everyone around the world and we are all navigating in our own ways. Please spare a thought for your fellow passengers as well as our frontline staff serving you
    Vistara is taking many steps to comply with regulatory guidelines for health and safety of all. We urge you to understand that some of these guidelines compel us to go against fundamentals of hospitality, such as reducing interaction with our customers, but again, this is for everyone’s safety

    Vistara continues to maintain the highest standard in safety and hygiene. The airline regularly conducts health checks of its crew members, has significantly reduced contact between its crew and customers, temporarily discontinued in-flight meals, onboard sales, reading material etc.. With an intensified aircraft cleaning procedure, Vistara disinfects and sanitises all its aircraft before every take off and performs deep cleaning every 24 hours. Powerful, in-built air filtration systems on all of Vistara’s aircraft ensure elimination of viruses and bacteria to refresh the cabin air every 2-3 minutes.

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  • Bluebox and Vistara Celebrate one year of “Vistara World”

    Bluebox and Vistara Celebrate one year of “Vistara World”

    Dunfermline, UK: Bluebox Aviation Systems and Vistara, the Indian joint-venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, are marking the 1st anniversary of the launch of Vistara World by going app-free. Vistara World is the airline’s free wireless streaming in-flight entertainment (IFE) service which streams content from the Bluebox Wow portable wireless IFE platform to passenger devices.

    Since launching last year, Vistara World has been progressively rolled out to Vistara’s entire fleet of 31 aircraft, including Airbus A320 and the recently inducted Boeing 737-800NG aircraft.

    As well as enabling passengers to stream IFE via the Vistara World app, Bluebox and Vistara will now provide passengers with an app-free solution.  From 1 September 2019, passengers are able to watch Vistara’s DRM-protected content from their personal device browser*, without downloading the app. Previously only DRM-less content could be viewed without the app.

    Vistara’s evolving content library includes a flight moving map, movies, TV shows and music in varying genres. In addition, one of the most popular elements of Vistara World is the membership enrolment page for “Club Vistara”, the airline’s loyalty programme – not surprising for an airline enjoying enormous popularity among its passengers.

    “At Vistara we continue to invest in enhancing our service offerings to stay ahead of the curve. In the last year we have flown over 5 million customers who have consumed a variety of engaging content on ‘Vistara World’ and enjoyed the Vistara experience even more.  The Bluebox platform’s convenience, robust capabilities and flexibility will now take this experience a notch higher,” said Mr. Sanjiv Kapoor, Chief Commercial Officer, Vistara.

    “As well as providing secure, revenue-generating, feature-rich, and cost-effective wireless IFE platforms, we aim to make these as friction-less as possible for both our airline customers and their passengers,” said David Brown, Business Development Director, Bluebox. “With device software now available to enable us to provide app-free DRM content, we are able to make it easier for passengers to access the platform. That, in turn, means more of the benefits to Vistara of deploying the system can be realised – both in terms of positive passenger experience and the ancillary revenue generated by the system.”

    Bluebox Wow provides wireless content streamed to passenger devices in any aircraft cabin, including a wide range of film, TV, audio, games and other digital content. With a remarkably low cost of ownership, Bluebox Wow is a discrete, portable, lunchbox-sized unit stowed securely in overhead bins.

    * Technical requirements app-free DRM content viewing:

    • Smartphones: iOS 11.2+ with Safari and Android v5+ with Chrome v75+
    • Laptops: Chrome V69+ and Safari V11
  • Vistara to provide sanitary pads onboard domestic flights from Women’s Day

    Vistara to provide sanitary pads onboard domestic flights from Women’s Day

    MUMBAI: India’s full-service carrier, Vistara has announced its initiative #PadsOnBoard, whereby it will provide sanitary pads onboard its flights to women travellers on request, starting this International Women’s Day on 8 March 2019. This initiative makes Vistara the first Indian airline to offer sanitary pads on flights within India.

    The airline will provide ISO 9001:2015 certified, bio-degradable and organic sanitary napkins made from plant-based fibres that are free of plastic, toxins and perfume.

    Recognising the need for this essential amenity, the airline introduced this service to assure women travellers of a comfortable flying experience every time they fly Vistara. Vistara’s cabin crew will make in-flight announcements on all flights to create awareness among travellers that sanitary pads are now available onboard for customers to freely ask for it if they need it.

    Commenting on the initiative, senior vice president – HR and corporate affairs Deepa Chadha said: “At Vistara, everything we do stems from the concept of ‘intuitive thoughtfulness’. It is this simple, humane perspective that makes us different from any other airline, and the reason that Vistara is the first choice for air travellers in India today. The initiative to provide sanitary pads to our customers is a meaningful one that reflects our core philosophy that ‘small things make a big difference’. As a woman, I feel a greater sense of pride for being part of an organization that’s providing such an essential amenity to customers – something that will help so many travellers in times of need.”  

    The introduction of #PadsOnBoard is part of Vistara’s focus on services and amenities for women travellers, adding to #VistaraWomanFlyer service that was launched in 2017 to provide certain benefits and peace of mind to solo women travelers. Together, these products and services will come under the ‘Vistara for Women’ service umbrella, as Vistara continues to lead the way on this front in India.

    Additionally, to celebrate International Women’s Day, all-women crew and pilots will operate retro-themed flights on the #VistaraRetroJet between Delhi and Goa on March 8. The cabin crew on these flights will be dressed in limited-edition retro-style uniforms, and customers will be invited to dress retro as well, and will be welcomed with memorabilia and served special dishes.

  • Vistara becomes first Indian airline to provide sanitary pads onboard domestic flights starting this International Women’s Day

    Vistara becomes first Indian airline to provide sanitary pads onboard domestic flights starting this International Women’s Day

    MUMBAI: India’s finest full-service carrier, Vistara, today announced another thoughtful initiative #PadsOnBoard, whereby it will provide sanitary pads onboard its flights to women travellers on request, starting this International Women’s Day on 8 March 2019. This initiative makes Vistara the first Indian airline to offer sanitary pads on flights within India. The airline will provide ISO 9001:2015 certified, bio-degradable and organic sanitary napkins made from plant-based fibres that are free of plastic, toxins and perfume.

    Recognizing the need for this essential amenity, the airline introduced this service to assure women travellers of a comfortable flying experience every time they fly Vistara. Vistara’s cabin crew will make in-flight announcements on all flights to create awareness among travellers that sanitary pads are now available onboard for customers to freely ask for it if they need it.

    Commenting on the initiative, Ms. Deepa Chadha, Senior Vice President – HR & Corporate Affairs, said: “At Vistara, everything we do stems from the concept of ‘intuitive thoughtfulness’. It is this simple, humane perspective that makes us different from any other airline, and the reason that Vistara is the first choice for air travellers in India today. The initiative to provide sanitary pads to our customers is a meaningful one that reflects our core philosophy that ‘small things make a big difference’. As a woman, I feel a greater sense of pride for being part of an organization that’s providing such an essential amenity to customers – something that will help so many travellers in times of need.”

    The introduction of #PadsOnBoard is part of Vistara’s focus on services and amenities for women travellers, adding to #VistaraWomanFlyer service that was launched in 2017 to provide certain benefits and peace of mind to solo women travelers. Together, these products and services will come under the ‘Vistara for Women’ service umbrella, as Vistara continues to lead the way on this front in India.

    Additionally, to celebrate International Women’s Day, all-women crew and pilots will operate retro-themed flights on the #VistaraRetroJet between Delhi and Goa on March 8. The cabin crew on these flights will be dressed in limited-edition retro-style uniforms, and customers will be invited to dress retro as well, and will be welcomed with memorabilia and served special dishes.

    As the highest-rated Indian airline on Skytrax and TripAdvisor, and winner of several ‘Best Airline’ awards, Vistara has consistently raised the bar for operations and service delivery in the Indian aviation industry in a short span of four years. The airline recently announced the launch of services to Raipur and Dibrugarh, taking its destinations served to 24 with a fleet of 22 Airbus A320 aircraft operating over 800 flights a week, and has flown over 13 million customers since starting operations four years ago.

  • Vistara’s Robot wins big at ICMG Global Architecture Excellence Awards 2018

    Vistara’s Robot wins big at ICMG Global Architecture Excellence Awards 2018

    MUMBAI: Vistara, India’s finest full-service carrier, has bagged the prestigious ICMG Global Architecture Excellence Awards 2018 at the Architecture World Summit 2018 recently held in New York, USA. Vistara’s Robotics Program – of which the airline recently introduced India’s first robot designed to assist travellers at airports – was adjudged the winner in two categories – Artificial Intelligence & Robotics Enabled Solution and Customer Centricity & Excellence categories, by an eminent jury panel led by Mr. John Zachman, known as the Father of Enterprise Architecture. Vistara’s robot won against innovations from some of world’s biggest organizations operating in diverse sectors.

    Winners of the coveted ICMG Global Architecture Excellence Awards are selected through an elaborate, stringent process of four rounds that requires showcase of technology expertise, deep domain understanding, overall vision for the industry and a case study presentation at Architecture World Summit.

    Expressing his delight, Mr. Leslie Thng, Chief Executive Officer, Vistara, said, “We are happy to receive this recognition for an innovation that truly reflects Vistara’s steadfast focus on transforming the experience for air travellers.”

    Mr. Ravinder Pal Singh, Chief Information & Innovation Officer, Vistara, said, “For us, Vistara’s robot is a remarkable ‘Make in India’ story, and for it to be recognized at a global platform against world leaders in technology, makes this award so special. At Vistara, we are very upbeat about leveraging AI and other technologies to drive innovation that would make air travel a truly seamless and joyful experience.”

    In the last 12 years, ICMG Architecture Awards have become the most prestigious global award program honoring excellence in the Enterprise and IT Architecture, with the leading companies from over 30 countries participating every year.

    Vistara’s robot was also recently awarded by ET NOW for ‘Excellence in Leveraging IT for Business Performance. As part of its futuristic technology framework, Vistara introduced the first-of-its-kind robot earlier this year and ushered in a novel innovation in the form of an indigenously built robot that assists travellers in the airline’s lounge at New Delhi’s Terminal 3, Indira Gandhi International Airport, addresses their queries and also entertains them. It is built on a chassis of four wheels, enabling it to rotate 360 degrees, and has three in-built cameras for cognitive interaction. At present, the robot is equipped to perform functions such as scanning boarding passes, providing useful information about the terminal, departure gates, weather conditions of the destination city, real time flight status, play songs, games, etc. The robot’s capabilities are being enhanced and it is being upgraded to perform more complex tasks in the near future, to assist travellers in many more ways.

    As the highest-rated Indian airline on Skytrax and TripAdvisor, and winner of several ‘Best in Industry’ awards, Vistara has consistently raised the bar for operations and service delivery in the Indian aviation industry in a short span of less than four years. The airline today serves 22 destinations with over 800 flights a week and a fleet of 22 aircraft, and has flown over 12 million customers since launch.

    About Vistara (TATA SIA Airlines Limited): TATA SIA Airlines Limited, known by the brand name Vistara, is a joint venture between Tata Sons Limited and Singapore Airlines Limited (SIA) with Tata Sons holding the majority stake of 51% in the company and SIA holding the remaining 49%. Vistara brings together Tata’s and SIA’s legendary hospitality and renowned service excellence to launch the finest full-service carrier in India aimed at creating memorable and personalized flying experiences for its customers. Vistara commenced its commercial operations on January 9, 2015 with an aim to set new standards in the aviation industry in India.