Farewell Vistara: With cabin mood lights and selfies

As boarding gates closed at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru and final passenger calls were made, flyers settled into their auberginecoloured seats.

- AJINKYA KAWALE

Captain Adarsh Mohan informed passengers that the aircraft under the Vistara brand was being piloted by him for "one last time".

The caveat was necessary as the 10-year-old brand Vistara, having merged with Air India, was flying into the sunset on Monday.

The announcement by Captain Adarsh Mohan prompted some of the young flyers to click photographs of the cabin with dim purple-orange mood lights. Selfies on the plane were also taken. On this special day, the menu featured aspecial complimentary dessert. Alongside its usual meals and beverages, the flight crew served a strawberry pastry topped with vanilla sauce as a parting gesture.

Earlier in the day, the farewell mood had set in at terminal 2 of the Bengaluru airport itself, where this reporter was waiting to board a Vistara flight on its final day.

Vistara flight UK 854 was flying behind schedule with boarding delayed by close to an hour.

The ground staff attributed the lag to air traffic congestion in Mumbai, resulting in a delayed arrival of the flight in Bengaluru.

A commotion between the Vistara ground staff and passengers travelling to Mumbai, over the delay, was contained quickly: After all, it was no ordinary day.