Vistara has been given permission to start its international operations, P S Kharola, Secretary Civil Aviation said on Wednesday.
It was not immediately clear by when the airline, a joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines will begin international operations. The airline meets the government’s requirement of having a fleet of over 20 aircraft for starting international operations. Vistara which began operations in 2015 currently has a fleet over 20 aircraft and operates over 730 flights a week to 24 destinations.
Vistara’s permission for flying abroad had been pending with the government for some time now. However, the reasons on why the airline was not given this permission earlier are not clear.
In 2018, Vistara had announced that it was placing orders for 19 Boeing and Airbus aircraft which included firm orders with Airbus for 13 aircraft from the A320 New Engine Option family and for six 787-9 aircraft from Boeing. The airline had said that these aircraft would help in its operations both in India and abroad. The Boeing 787-9 aircraft allow the airline to operate non-stop from India to the United States, Africa and Japan.