Vistara aims to “put the joy back into flying” in India
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New Indian airline Vistara says it will aim to “put the joy back into flying” when it launches next month, with a focus on passenger services.
The Delhi-based carrier, which will commence flights on 9 January 2015, has unveiled a series of passenger offerings that it hopes will position it at the forefront of India’s notoriously challenging aviation sector.
These include a “hassle-free check-in and boarding process”, spacious seating and quality in-flight meals. These services and Vistara’s new tagline ‘Fly the new Feeling’, were unveiled in Delhi today (Monday, 22 December 2014).
“Today we unveiled our long-awaited product and service elements that are a manifestation of our brand promise of delivering a seamless and personalised travel experience,” Phee Teik Yeoh, CEO of Vistara, said at the launch event.
“My entire team and I are ready and committed to putting the joy back into flying, by being intuitively thoughtful and responsive to our customers’ needs at every stage of their travel experience.”
Vistara’s 148-seat Airbus A320 aircraft will feature three cabins, with business class, premium economy and economy options. Business class seats will have 42-inch seat pitch and seven-inch recline, while passengers will be offered personal storage space and plated meals.
Premium economy seats will have a 33-36-inch pitch and 4.5-inch recline, with a tray meal service, and economy class passengers will be offered seats with a 30-inch pitch and 3.5-inch recline, and meal boxes.
A “seamless check-in experience” will include online and mobile options, plus dedicated airport counters, and in terms of in-flight dining, the airline will change menu items every week and will offer a range of 17 options for customers with special dietary requirements.
Vistara has also launched a frequent flyer programme and has teamed up with the Taj Group to offer a series of hotel benefits for members.
The focus on full-service air travel marks an interesting strategy for Vistara, and for India’s aviation industry. Low-cost IndiGo is now the country’s domestic leader in terms of market share, while AirAsia also recently entered the budget end of the market. But other carriers have struggled in the low-cost sector, with Jet Airways recently having pulled the plug on its low-cost operations to focus on a premium product, and struggling LCC SpiceJet launching additional extras to lure higher-end travellers.
Vistara, which is a joint venture between Singapore Airlines and Tata Sons, will commence operations next month on the Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Ahmedabad routes.
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