Late Flights, Lost Bags Show Tata’s Messy Airline Merger Pains

When the Tata Group bought Air India in 2021, it signed up for two gigantic tasks: turning the ailing carrier around and resurrecting its prestige as a customer-centric airline.

With barely two months to go before Air India absorbs Vistara, a joint venture carrier the Tata Group started with Singapore Airlines Ltd., the coffee-to-cars conglomerate has made headway on one front but not the other. It has reduced Air India’s annual losses by more than half but flight delays and shabby in-flight services continue to rile fliers.

Starting Nov. 12, Air India and Vistara will fly as one carrier ...