Air India is set to become a stronger international carrier following a proposed merger with Indian airline Vistara. Air India currently serves around 40 international destinations, compared to Vistara’s 11, however, the combination of the two airlines will see Air India benefit from Vistara’s strong recognition and quality service. The merger requires regulatory approval that includes competition clearance, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) approval, and finally, the merger of the two companies. Air India’s CEO, Campbell Wilson, confirmed that the merger process is currently in the first stage of seeking regulatory approval. The company hopes to have one full-service airline and one low-cost airline in the group, and to celebrate Vistara’s heritage in the new manifestation. Air India’s Vihaan.Ai program has launched a five-year transformation roadmap split into three phases that aims to address under-investment in customer service, technology, engineering, network, and human resources. The airline has already hired 1200 new professionals in the year and partnered with Microsoft Outlook and Office to improve its systems. Air India has also invested $200m in improving its IT platforms, which will help to ease the reservation process and in-flight experiences.