Vistara is conducting aptitude tests for its staff and has launched a culture survey as it prepares to merge with Air India.
The aptitude tests are a part of a fitment process and will help identify meaningful roles in the merged entity for Vistara employees.
On Friday, the Competion Commission of India (CCI) approved Vistara’s merger with Air India. The CCI nod will enable the two airlines to align their networks and schedules. A complete merger is expected by next June after receipt of all regulatory approvals.
A common salary structure and seniority list has been drawn up for pilots of all the Tata group airlines. Vistara has already carried out town hall meetings to explain the process that is being followed for integration of seniority lists.
“We are now also starting the process of fitment for the rest of the staff in the organisation. The aim remains to ensure that each of our staff have a meaningful role in the integrated entity and this procedure is to ensure the most viable fitment for the staff and the organisation in this regard,” Vistara’s CEO Vinod Kannan wrote in a staff email on Friday. Consulting firm Mercer is assisting Vistara in the fitment process. While Vistara has around 5500 employees, Air India’s existing staff strength is 16500.
Last month Vistara also rolled out a survey to collect staff inputs for culture it wants to promote in the combined organisation. “ This is a pulse check of the current culture in Vistara and also for you to have inputs on the culture that we want to inculcate and promote in the integrated organisation,” Kannan wrote.
Vistara which is a joint venture of Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines began operations in 2015. It has 61 aircraft including Airbus A320Neos and Boeing 787-9 planes. Air India has 116 aircraft and another 470 planes on order which will be delivered over the decade.
“A common seniority list has been drawn for pilots of all Tata group airlines. With the CCI approval we now hope our pilots will be able to transition to Airbus A350 and Boeing 777 aircraft,” said a captain from Vistara.