Vistara to launch international operations next month; to operate two flights daily to Singapore from New Delhi, Mumbai

Vistara airline, a joint venture between Tatas and Singapore Airlines (SIA), on Thursday announced the launch of its international operations from next month with flight services to Singapore from New Delhi and Mumbai. Vistara will operate daily two flights to Singapore, one each from New Delhi and Mumbai, starting 6 and 7 August respectively, the airline said.

The Delhi-based carrier currently operates to 24 domestic destinations. International services to Singapore will be operated by a Boeing 737-800NG aircraft with a two-class cabin configuration— business and economy — it said. “We are excited to start with Singapore as our first international destination, which we see as a very important market, given the opportunities it presents for corporate, business as well as leisure travel,” Vistara’s chief executive officer Leslie Thng said. [caption id=“attachment_2766448” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] After the launch of services to Singapore, Vistara will expand its footprint to other international markets going forward, the airline said. Last month, Vistara—which has been serving the Indian skies for more than four years, had indicated about its plans to launch international services in the second half of this year. It had planned to launch overseas flights in the first half of this year. “We see India as a growing market. We are here for the long term,” Thng had said. Currently, the airline operates over 1,200 weekly flights connecting 24 cities with a fleet of 29 planes, comprising both Airbus A320s as well as Boeing 737s. In May, the carrier announced it would take on lease four Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft and two A320 neo planes. In 2018, Vistara placed its order for purchased and leased aircraft totalling 50 from the Airbus A320neo family, including A321neos. These would be for domestic as well as short and medium-haul international operations, with deliveries scheduled between 2019 and 2023. Further, the carrier has bought six Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft that are scheduled to be delivered between 2020 and 2021. These would operate long-haul international operations. In May this year, the promoters of Vistara, Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, had reportedly infused total fund of over Rs 4,000 crore into the airline in the 12 months till April 2019. While Vistara has 5.17 percent share in the domestic passenger market, low-cost carrier IndiGo has solidified its position as the leader with a 49.9 percent share, according to the monthly traffic data released by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). — With PTI inputs