Vistara gets govt approval to fly on international routes; likely to launch first overseas flight to Colombo in summer

Vistara, the joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, got the government approval to fly on international routes, said media reports. Civil Aviation secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola said that Vistara has been authorised to mount international flights now.

Ministry of Civil Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola: Vistara has been authorised that they can mount international flights now. pic.twitter.com/hmKzJG1vdk

— ANI (@ANI) March 13, 2019

Vistara’s final hurdle was cleared by the aviation ministry just before the Lok Sabha election dates were announced, according to CNBC-TV18. The airline may launch its inaugural international flight to Colombo in a couple of months, the report said. [caption id=“attachment_2766448” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] Last month, Vistara and Japan Airlines had announced a codeshare pact from 28 February, making it the fourth such tie-ups for the youngest full-service domestic carrier, said a PTI report. Vistara already has similar tie-ups with British Airways, Singapore Airlines and its subsidiary and SilkAir. Vistara and the Japanese flag carrier already have an interline/through check-in partnership and the two airlines had signed an initial agreement in September 2017 to pursue commercial opportunities together, Vistara said. Early this month, Vistara Airlines had announced that it would start daily flights from Dibrugarh in Assam to Bagdogra in West Bengal from 3 April this year. Vistara announced the launch of 16 new daily flights, including two new destinations Raipur and Dibrugarh, as part of its network expansion plans. Vistara, which is 51 percent owned by the Tatas and the remaining by SIA, currently operates over 800 flights a week to 22 domestic destinations with a fleet of 22 Airbus A320s/A320 Neos. — With inputs from agencies