The Tata Group received approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for the merger of Vistara into Air India and the erstwhile AirAsia India into Air India Express on July 8, 2024. Harmonisation of operating procedures across key functions has been concluded, including harmonising the support manuals across the four carriers.
Air India with Vistara merged into it would function as a full-service carrier, and Air India Express and AirAsia India would be merged to serve as a budget airline. This nod was also required for pilots to undergo training while changing a company or aircraft type.