Tata Group To Launch Luxury Airline
Wednesday, 30th July 2014 at 07:08am
The long anticipated launch of the much-talked about airline venture of the Tata Group and its foreign partner, Singapore Airlines, is finally on the horizon.
Tata Group and Singapore Airlines surprised the media with the recent unveiling of Vistara, which they claim as a luxury airline that resulted from the joint venture that both companies signed early last year.
The tentative schedule for its inaugural flights will be on October, in time for the country's celebration of Diwali.
The luxury airline will initially serve the domestic market while awaiting the repeal of the 5/20 rule in the country's aviation law that a local airline should meet before they can fly overseas. The 5/20 rule states that an airline needs to operate, at least, 5 years within India and keep a fleet of no less than 20 aircraft before it can get a license to operate international flights.
Vistara, which is Hindi for 'boundless expanse', was unveiled on Monday along with the aircraft livery and crew uniform.
The new airline's first CEO, Phee Teik Yeoh, said that the luxury airline will redefine travel in the country's commercial aviation industry.
Vistara plans to acquire 5 aircraft, all narrow-body A320s, before the year ends. It is expected to increase its fleet of 20 aircraft in five years' time. Of the total, seven of them will be the fuel-efficient A320neo planes. The airline is scheduled to take delivery of its first aircraft next month.
The Tata Group was the pioneer in the country's aviation industry when it founded Tata Airlines in 1930 before it became Air India following the takeover by the Indian government in early 1950s.
The partnership between Tata Group and Singapore Airlines was formed after they attempted to buy a stake in Air India 20 years ago but, unfortunately, didn't come to fruition after Air India's rivals opposed the move.
The new airline is going to change the way Indians travel with unprecedented luxury and unrivaled comfort only Vistara can offer. In a way, it will revolutionize India's air travel industry.
The luxury airline plans to serve most key cities across India from its main hub in Delhi within four years' time. These include Mumbai, Bangalore, Goa, Chennai, Jaipur, Srinagar, Jammu, Kolkata, Kochi, and Guwahati.
By: Pete Lee.