Vistara (UK, Delhi International) is planning to return at least seven narrowbody aircraft, including one of its ex-Jet Airways (JAI, Mumbai International) B737-800s and around six A320-200s by the end of 2020, and hopes to defer deliveries of some of its forthcoming aircraft, Chief Commercial Officer Vinod Kannan told LiveMint.
The full-service carrier, a 51/49 joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines Group, added seven B737s when the collapse of Jet Airways in 2019 presented it with an opportunity to quickly grow capacity at a low cost. However, in the current market situation, the airline is looking to simplify and trim its fleet. As such, VT-TGI (msn 39401) was retired from active service on May 28, 2020, and subsequently returned to GECAS and ferried to Tainan on June 17, 2020, Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows.
According to the ch-aviation fleets ownership module, the remaining six B737-800s operated by Vistara are owned by BOC Aviation (four) and FLY Leasing (two).
The airline plans to return around six of its thirteen A320-200s by the end of 2020. All 13 aircraft are dry-leased. The airline's narrowbody fleet also includes twenty A320-200neo.
Kannan said that Vistara was in talks with both Airbus and Boeing about the future deliveries of A320neo (of which it has 13 on direct order) and B787-9s (five, on top of one already delivered). Vistara also has orders for aircraft from lessors, including A321-200neo and further B787-9s. Vistara confirmed that it still intends to take its second B787-9 by the end of this month.
