GoAir (Mumbai International) is set to begin widebody studies as it plots its future growth plans.
Newly appointed chief executive Cornelis Vrieswijk told a media gathering this week that the budget carrier will look at the oppurtunities widebody aircraft present in tandem with the prospect of entering the longhaul services market. No talks have yet been held with either Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) or Boeing (BOE, Washington National) at present time, he was cited by India's Business Standard.
Owned by the Wadia Group, GoAir currently operates a fleet of nineteen A320ceo and sixteen A320neo with a further 128 neo on order from Airbus. However, Vrieswijk highlighted the knock-on effects that the Pratt & Whitney PW1100G powerplants' woes have had on GoAir's growth, in particular, the deferral of its IPO.
“You would expect, when you are in a situation like that, to solve the problem together," he was quoted by The Economic Times. "The togetherness (in this case) is not necessarily to the level I would expect. We have no firm indication on when those engines will arrive. For example, we have one (engine delivery) planned in July and another in August. But these are tentative plans. We don't know when they will arrive or whether they will arrive."
Despite the uncertainty, the CEO said Go Air is proceeding with its long-delayed plans of starting international operations, set to occur in the next few weeks.
Founded in 2005, GoAir has taken a conservative approach to growth preferring to consolidate its operations in India before venturing abroad. At present, it serves 23 cities across India from bases at Bengaluru International, Delhi International, Kolkata, and Mumbai International.
