Vistara has had an eventful 2020, adding many new planes and routes despite the circumstances. The airline notably took delivery of its first 787-9 Dreamliner and A321neo fleets this summer. The additions bring Vistara closer to its goal of 70 aircraft by 2023 and fulfilling its long-haul ambitions.
The Dreamliner
One of the most anticipated deliveries of 2020, Vistara took delivery of its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in February. The delivery made Vistara the second airline in India to operate a widebody fleet and cleared the path for long-haul flights to begin. The onboard product features a modern three-class configuration of economy, premium economy, and business class.
Vistara’s second 787 joined the fleet in August, allowing the airline to operate its first European route to London. While the pandemic has disputed plans, Vistara remains on track to take delivery of all six 787s by 2021. This means we can expect to see four more planes joining the fleet in the coming months.
The A321neo
While the 787 might be the flagship of the fleet, Vistara has big plans for medium-haul routes too. The airline took delivery of its first Airbus A321neo in July, which features lie-flat business class seats in a 2-2 configuration. A second A321neo also joined the fleet in October, according to Planespotters.net.
The A321neo is yet to enter service on any scheduled routes, although it did appear on some domestic routes. The range of the aircraft allows it to comfortably reach cities in Central Asia, like Moscow, and East Asian cities like Shanghai and Ho Chi Minh. Keep your eye out for this plane to begin flying in 2021.
Vistara also began retiring its ex-Jet Airways 737 this year as it added newer planes. The airline took on these 737s in 2019 following Jet Airways’ collapse and allowed it to start international operations.
Busy year
Aside from the two new variants, Vistara also added more five more A320neos to its growing fleet. Simple Flying had the opportunity to review business class on this plane and offer a full cabin tour! As the workhorse of the fleet, the A320 is mainly found on domestic and short-haul flights.
One the route side, the airline has remained equally busy. As mentioned, Vistara started its first long-haul flight from Delhi to London Heathrow in August, and has since added a second service from Mumbai. The carrier also started flights to Doha and Dhaka, another two competitive routes from India.
2021 is shaping up to be another busy year for Vistara. As more 787s join the fleet, the airline is expected to add flights to cities like Frankfurt, Paris, and possibly even the United States. While much of the changes will depend on travel demand bouncing back, the rollout of a vaccine could help in restoring demand by the second half of the year.
Have you had a chance to fly on Vistara’s new aircraft? Which cabin did you travel in? Let us know in the comments!