Ahead of the resurrection of international travel from India, Indian carrier Vistara has announced direct flights to the USA. Here are all the details. By Presha Mahajan
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USA’s Department of Transportation provides tentative approval to Vistara to commence non-stop flights to the United States of America. Although a provisional license currently, the final decision is awaited, assuming there is no objection from other carriers. The Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines joint venture might therefore await their turn before beginning their services.
Air India and the erstwhile Jet Airways were the only two carriers flying to the country. If allowed, Vistara will be the third player diving into the extensive North American market.
With this license, the USA will join Frankfurt, London, and Tokyo as the fourth long-haul destination catered to by Vistara, each of which was kickstarted within the same COVID-19-struck year. Flights to London and Frankfurt are already operational, while ones to Tokyo’s Haneda airport will launch on June 16. Paris is also recommended, but flights to the country are yet to be scheduled.
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The Times of India reports a confirmation from a Vistara spokesperson: “While we have received a temporary foreign air carrier permit from the department of transportation, USA, the process is still ongoing. We shall be sharing further details at an appropriate time.”
The airline announced that a Boeing 787-9 will be appointed for the route. Vistara currently owns two Boeing 787-9s, which permit non-stop flying to such long-haul destinations. In 2018, they had placed an order for six more Dreamliners. The first three are reportedly reserved for European and Australian destinations with no tiresome layovers, while the rest will contain overhead flight crew rest (bunks for crew members), which will enable them to fly non-stop across the world, with two batches of crews taking over the long flight.
As a result of COVID-19, passengers now increasingly prefer direct flights. Despite long hours, they reportedly do not wish to travel via stops in European and Gulf countries. This comes as an advantage to airlines offering these services.
Editor’s Note: Keeping the current situation of the pandemic in mind, T+L India recommends every reader to stay safe, and take all government-regulated precautions in case travel at this time is absolutely necessary. Please follow our stories on COVID-19 for all the latest travel guidelines.
Related: Starting Today, Vistara Will Offer In-Flight Wi-Fi Services Onboard!
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