Summary
- Vistara expects to have a fleet of 70 aircraft by March or April 2024, earlier than previously planned, due to its confidence in Boeing delivering its 787-9 on time.
- Vistara’s CEO believes that the merger between Air India and Vistara will be approved by H1 2024 and completed operationally by H1 2025.
- While awaiting the merger approval, Vistara plans to continue expanding internationally, with new routes expected to be added in the first quarter of next year.
India-based Vistara said that its fleet will grow to 70 aircraft by March or April 2024, much earlier than previously outlined by the airline, as it is confident that Boeing will deliver its 787-9 on time. Currently, Vistara has six 787-9s in its fleet, with Boeing’s Orders & Deliveries data showing that the manufacturer has a single 787-9 to deliver to the Indian carrier.
Confident in the merger being approved
According to a report by Reuters, Vinod Kannan, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Vistara, said during a call with media reporters that the airline should hit the 70-aircraft mark by either March or April 2024. Furthermore, the CEO said that he expects the merger between Air India and Vistara to be approved by H1 2024, which will be completed operationally by H1 2025.
Kannan also said that Vistara is monitoring the situation with the 737 MAX 9. The aircraft was temporarily grounded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States (US) following a plug door blowout on January 5, 2024, when an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 was operating a domestic flight between Portland International Airport (PDX) and Ontario International Airport (ONT).
Boeing 737 MAX 9 Blowout: What’s The Latest?
The NTSB has informed the public that a local resident found the missing plug door.
Vistara does not operate any Boeing 737 MAX type aircraft since its single-aisle fleet consists of only Airbus A320neo family aircraft. According to ch-aviation data, the Indian airline’s fleet consists of 51 Airbus A320neo, nine A321neo, and one A321LR, based on the A321neo, in addition to the six Boeing 787-9s. On average, the airline’s aircraft are 2.3 years old.
However, the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordered inspections of all Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft that are operated by the country’s airlines following the Alaska Airlines incident. “As a precautionary measure, DGCA on 6 January directed all Indian operators with Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft to check the operation and proper closing of all over wing emergency exits by 7 January,” the DGCA said, according to a report by India-based Mint. The checks were completed on 32 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in India, split between four Air India Express, eight SpiceJet, and 20 Akasa Air 737 MAXs.
Photo: Air India Express
International expansion
While Vistara’s fate is the merger with Air India, pending its approval, the airline still wants to expand internationally. According to Kannan, who spoke during a route launch event in December 2023, the airline feels that demand for international flights will continue to grow, with “two or three more new routes coming through in the first quarter of next year.”
Photo: Vistara
In January 2024, Vistara has scheduled 9,972 flights, offering 1.7 million seats during the month, according to the aviation analytics company Cirium. The majority, 8,557, of these flights were with Airbus A320 aircraft, with the A321 and Boeing 787-9s adding 1,179 and 236 flights, respectively. In comparison, during the same month a year prior, its schedule consisted of 8,426 flights and 1.4 million seats.
Vistara To Use Its New Aircraft Mostly On International Routes
The airline is not done expanding internationally.
