Tata Group airlines – Air India, Air India Express, and Vistara – made frequent in-flight announcements on Thursday remembering Ratan Tata. The aviation sector was particularly close to Ratan Tata’s heart. 86-year-old Ratan Tata, who was also the honorary chairman of Tata Sons, breathed his last at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital on Wednesday night. According to PTI news, officials said on Thursday that all three airlines, part of the Tata Group, will make announcements in memory of Tata on their flights during the day.
Ratan Tata’s demise comes at a time when the group is in the process of completing the integration of its airline business. The integration of Air India Express and AIX Connect was completed on October 1, while Vistara is scheduled to merge with Air India on November 12. Vistara is a joint venture between the Tata Group and Singapore Airlines. Air India CEO and MD Campbell Wilson told employees that Air Indians acknowledge and are grateful for Tata’s immense contribution to Indian aviation in general and Tata Airlines in particular.
His legacy lives on and continues to inspire.
In his message to the employees, Air India Express MD Alok Singh said that Tata’s passion, his immense contribution to aviation, and his guidance in shaping the group and the organization make this loss even more profound. He said that his legacy remains even today and will continue to inspire us. Vistara CEO Vinod Kannan told the employees that Tata has always been and will remain an inspiration for all of us in the Tata Group and across the country.
Changed theme of social media handle
Meanwhile, in honor of the late Ratan Tata, Air India Express adopted the theme of white lilies on a dark background on its website and social media handles. Not just Tata Group airlines, IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air also paid tribute to Ratan Tata. Mourning the demise of Tata, IndiGo CEO Peter Elbers said that his invaluable contribution to the country in many fields, source of inspiration, and legacy will remain forever. According to Elber’s message posted by IndiGo on Instagram, at IndiGo, we are grateful for his visionary leadership and contribution to Indian aviation and are deeply saddened by his demise.
Akasa Air and SpiceJet also paid tribute.
On Twitter, Akasa Air said Tata’s legacy is one of unparalleled excellence, innovation, and compassion. SpiceJet mourned Tata’s demise in a post on Twitter and described him as a visionary leader and pioneering entrepreneur who dedicated his life to building modern India through innovation and social responsibility. Singapore Airlines, which has a long-standing relationship with the Tata Group, mourned the death of Ratan Tata, saying he was a visionary global business leader, as well as a beloved partner and dear friend.
Airbus cancels inaugural event in honor of
Tata, who was also a pilot and was passionate about aviation, played a key role in the Tata Group’s acquisition of Air India from the government in January 2022. Tata’s visionary leadership not only transformed India’s industry but also played a key role in shaping the country’s aviation sector, Civil Aviation Minister K Ramamohan Naidu said in a post on X. In honor of the late Tata, European aircraft maker Airbus on Thursday canceled the inauguration of its new India and South Asia headquarters and training center in the national capital.