Mumbai: After just four months of crisscrossing India, newly inaugurated airline Vistara is planning to expand its fleet and touch down on foreign shores. Specifically - the airline wants to chart international routes within two years.
Exactly how many new planes it will buy is still up in the air, but Vistara already has its eye set on several target destinations, including the Gulf, Europe and the United States.
Experts say Vistara’s image – with ties to both Singapore Airlines and Tata-Group – should help with the transition.
“Vistara has got Singapore Airlines as a partner and Singapore Airlines has got tremendous reputation in the international routes and Tata also has a great reputation so achieving something in the domestic market should not be the criteria for doing well in the international market,” said Captain Mohan Ranganathan, an aviation expert.
A change in aviation regulations could also help carriers like Vistara reach new shores. Under the current 5/20 rule – Indian airlines have to be operational for five years and have 20 aircrafts before they can start flying abroad. But last month, the government proposed scrapping that rule and replacing it with Domestic Flying Credits or DFCs. The rule also specifies that carriers looking to fly abroad would first have to earn at least 200 DFCs by flying within India.
10/04/15 Nidhi Rai/Channel News Asia
Exactly how many new planes it will buy is still up in the air, but Vistara already has its eye set on several target destinations, including the Gulf, Europe and the United States.
Experts say Vistara’s image – with ties to both Singapore Airlines and Tata-Group – should help with the transition.
“Vistara has got Singapore Airlines as a partner and Singapore Airlines has got tremendous reputation in the international routes and Tata also has a great reputation so achieving something in the domestic market should not be the criteria for doing well in the international market,” said Captain Mohan Ranganathan, an aviation expert.
A change in aviation regulations could also help carriers like Vistara reach new shores. Under the current 5/20 rule – Indian airlines have to be operational for five years and have 20 aircrafts before they can start flying abroad. But last month, the government proposed scrapping that rule and replacing it with Domestic Flying Credits or DFCs. The rule also specifies that carriers looking to fly abroad would first have to earn at least 200 DFCs by flying within India.
10/04/15 Nidhi Rai/Channel News Asia
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