Sponsored Links           

Vistara - Tata-SIA JV airline brand name unveiled; to start operations from October

Airvistara Airlines

NEW DELHI: Tata-SIA Airlines on Monday announced that its proposed airline will be called Vistara. Vistara is derived from the Sanskrit word, which means limitless expanse "and draws inspiration from the brand's domain - the limitless sky". 

The airline by the Tata Group and Singapore International Airlines is targeting an October Launch. The commencement of operations is subject to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation's (DGCA) approval, which is examining the airline's application for an air operator's permit.
The airline plans to start operations with an Airbus 320 aircraft and add 20 aircraft during the first five years of operations. This will, however, change once the government abolishes the five-year 20 aircraft minimum flying eligibility norm for international flying. 

Recently it was reported that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked the upcoming Tata-SIA JV carrier to ensure that its operational staff is present at all regulatory meetings to avoid delay in launching operation. DGCA deputy director Ved Prakash wrote a letter to Yeoh after an internal report said that the upcoming airline's operational team did not come for some meetings. 

Fearing that any delay in clearing an airline as prestigious as Tata-SIA may be criticized, DGCA took the unusual step of asking the JV partners to step on the gas. "You are advised to make available key post holders in India for interaction during the ongoing documents evaluation phase in order to complete the the same. Non availability of key post holders may delay the certification process," the DGCA letter to Phee Teik Yeoh said. 

Confirming the receipt of this letter, a Tata SIA spokesperson said: "This is part of our ongoing engagement with the DGCA and we are complying with all their requirements."