India's newest full-service airline, Vistara, is confident its London-Delhi sector will go from strength to strength backed up by strong demand from the Indian diaspora based in Britain.
While the route was launched back in August 2020, the pandemic constraints meant a rather low-key entry into the lucrative UK sector. Vistara CEO Vinod Kannan and his team were in London this week to celebrate their London-Delhi flights going daily since early May.
“We are the only Indian airline to operate a Premium Economy segment, which is very popular,” Kannan revealed during a launch event at Taj Hotel in London.
As a joint venture between the Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, the airline has been flying high on the back of the high demand unleashed as the Covid-19 pandemic travel restrictions are gradually eased up.
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“We are probably one of the few airlines that opened more destinations during the pandemic, something we are proud of. Now that we have gone through the tough part, we look forward to what the future holds. With our product offering, we feel very well placed to operate in this part of the world and provide a viable alternative to customers flying to and from the UK,” reflected Kannan.
The airline executive admitted that the trend of high fares is here to stay for some time due to the Russia-Ukraine crisis and rising fuel prices. However, he expressed confidence about the prospects of Vistara, which is backed up by factors such as widespread connectivity with all the key cities of India, spacious Dreamliner aircraft and attractive frequent flyer offer that is different from others – being value based rather than distance based.
Kannan highlighted: "We are very well known for our food and beverage and have won a lot of praise domestically and that transcends borders to be offered internationally as well. We are the only airline to serve Starbucks [Tata venture in India] on board.
“The proof is in the pudding, in that people have to experience what we offer. What we do offer is a viable alternative to existing contemporaries and perhaps the youngest aircraft fleet. Those are all points in our favour and the fact that we are an Indian brand, bringing the warmth and hospitality that India is known for, and the food goes without saying.”
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The world of travel has changed over the last two years and with hygiene and safety among the top passenger concerns, Vistara decided to focus on campaigns such as a Flyer Code and Soundtrack of Travel. The well-established brand in India went international only recently in 2019, just as the pandemic crisis was about to unfold.
“We are finally here and what matters is looking ahead as things are looking bright. We are not out of the woods, but there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel. We are a relatively new airline internationally and need all the support for our customer-centric and empathic offering as a viable value proposition for flyers,” notes Kannan.