Vistara (UK, Delhi International) has confirmed it will add its first Boeing aircraft in the form of four B737-800s dry-leased from BOC Aviation.
The lessor said in a press release that the Indian full-service carrier will take deliveries of the four B737-800s, including two owned by BOC Aviation and two managed by the lessor, by the end of May 2019. Vistara will also dry-lease a further two A320-200neo from BOC Aviation with deliveries due in the second half of 2019.
BOC Aviation does not publicly disclose the manufacturer serial numbers of the B737-800s but Head of Investor Relations Timothy Ross confirmed to ch-aviation that they were not from BOC Aviation's orderbook with the manufacturer.
The lessor leased six B737-800s to the now-grounded Jet Airways (JAI, Mumbai International). Vistara previously hinted that it was interested in taking over some of its former rival's narrowbodies to accelerate growth.
The carrier, a 51/49 joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines Group, currently operates thirteen A320-200s (including two dry-leased from BOC Aviation) and nine A320neo (all owned by BOC Aviation). It has a further thirteen A320neo on order from Airbus. Vistara has also ordered six B787-9s to fuel its planned long-haul expansion.
