India's Vistara will receive its first of six Boeing 787-9s in February 2020, according to the carrier's chief executive Leslie Thng.
Speaking today at the launch of the full-service airline's first international route — from Delhi to Singapore — Thng adds that Vistara is nearly doubling its fleet this year, from 22 aircraft on 1 January to a projected 41 by the end of December. As that process continues, it will take two more former Jet Airways Boeing 737-800s by the end of August, and another nine Airbus A320neos by the end of the year.
The two ex-Jet 737s will be the last of nine that Vistara has committed to take.
Thng is coy about what route will be served by Vistara's first 787-9, but states that the aircraft "gives us the flexibility" to fly nonstop to Europe and North Asia.
He also points to the airline's current partnerships as indications of possible 787-9 routes. Vistara has codeshare agreements with Singapore Airlines, Japan Airlines, British Airways and United Airlines.
Cirium’s Fleets Analyzer shows that Vistara has 49 aircraft on order. Apart from the six Boeing 787-9s, it is due to receive 37 A320neos and six A321neos.
Singapore marks the first international destination in Vistara's network. In July, the airline announced it would serve Delhi-Singapore and Mumbai-Singapore from early August using ex-Jet 737s. Thng states that the airline will be deploying A320s on those routes from October.
It also announced that it would begin flying Delhi-Bangkok Suvarnabhumi and Mumbai-Dubai from late August. Those two routes will be served by its A320neos.
Vistara is a joint venture between Singapore Airlines and Tata Sons.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
