Full-service carrier Vistara is likely to add long-haul international destinations in the later part of the current fiscal if there is an appropriate pick-up in demand along with lifting of travel restrictions, the airline’s Chief Commercial Officer Vinod Kannan said on Monday.
Since embarking on international operations last year with flights to south-east Asia and middle-east countries, Vistara planned to expand its international footprint by adding destinations like London and Tokyo around March 2020. But the pandemic and accompanying travel restrictions put a brake on its ambitions.
“I believe in third or fourth quarter, but the decision [to launch long-haul international flights] will be a function of bilateral bubbles. It will also be a function of when countries re-open, which has been a moving target,” Mr. Kannan replied during a web-conference with the press to a query on when it was hoping to widen its international presence.
The comment comes within days of the European Union putting 14 non-EU countries on its ‘safe list’. Incoming travellers from these countries would not have to undergo quarantine. Though India is not on that list, the move is a sign of countries reopening themselves to international travellers. Meanwhile, the Indian government, too, has announced that it is exploring bilateral travel bridges or bubbles with the U.K., U.S., Germany and France, which could also result in quarantine norms being relaxed or waived.
The airline has one Boeing 787 Dreamliner in its fleet, and plans to add three more before the end of this fiscal. Meanwhile, it is ramping up training on the widebodies and pursuing regulatory clearances. Barring the sole 787, Vistara has A320 neos, ceos and Boeing 737 Max, none of which is capable of flying long-haul.
Therefore, to some industry watchers, Vistara’s timeline for international expansion is too optimistic.
“International operations from India are uncertain right now and we are yet to see clear international strategy related to resumption,” Kapil Kaul of CAPA India told The Hindu .
‘Extra seat for social distancing’
Customers travelling on Vistara will soon be able to purchase an extra seat if they are worried about social distancing during a flight.
The airline on Monday sent out a standard operating protocol to travel agents on how to issue tickets for the additional seat. Passengers will be given one ticket for the two seats booked, but will have to pay a fare equivalent of two seats.
The facility is already available with some travel booking portals, and will soon go live on Vistara’s website as well.
The protocol is in line with global airlines body IATA’s recommendations.
