Indian carrier Vistara has agreed to purchase 13 Airbus A320neo family aircraft and six Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, at a combined value of $3.1 billion at list prices, as the Tata Sons-Singapore Airlines joint venture prepares to commence international operations.
The Indian airline will also lease 37 A320neos, taking the total number of new planes to be added to its fleet to 56, Vistara said in a statement on Wednesday.
The airline will induct the A320neos between 2019 and 2023 and will use them for domestic and short-haul international flights. The Dreamliners will be delivered between 2020 and 2021 and will be deployed for medium- and long-haul flights.
Awaiting clearance
Vistara has already sought regulatory approvals to commence international operations, which it aims to start in the second half of 2018.
“India’s position as the world’s fastest growing domestic aviation market and its impressive growth in air passenger traffic that has more than doubled over the last decade makes us confident of our aggressive plans for domestic expansion and international foray,” Vistara CEO Leslie Thng said in the statement.
The agreement with Airbus comprises firm orders of 13 A320neo and A321neo aircraft as well as options for seven more aircraft from the A320neo family. The deal with Boeing includes firm orders for six B787-9 Dreamliners and purchase rights for four more aircraft from the 787 Dreamliner family, Vistara added.
Vistara has selected the LEAP 1-A engines from CFM International to power the A320neo and A321neo aircraft and for its Boeing 787-9s it has opted for General Electric GEnx-1B engines.
The airline currently has a fleet of 21 aircraft comprising 13 Airbus A320ceo and 8 A320neo aircraft.