Vistara, a joint venture between TATA group and Singapore Airlines Limited (SIA), took delivery of its first Airbus A321neo aircraft in New Delhi today. The aircraft, arriving from Airbus’ final assembly lines in Hamburg, Germany, features India’s most advanced aircraft cabin in the sky with fully flat beds in business class.
Overall, Vistara’s A321neo features a three-class layout with 12 seats in business class, 24 in premium economy and 152 in economy class. The aircraft is the first of six A321neo for the airline, on lease by Air Lease Corporation and part of the 50 A320neo Family aircraft order signed in 2018.
All Vistara A321neo will be powered by latest-generation CFM-Leap 1A engines. These aircraft will be supported by Airbus’ Flight Hour Services Tailored Support Package (FHS-TSP) programme to optimise and secure Vistara fleet operations. The aircraft will complement Vistara’s current Airbus fleet of 32 A320 Family aircraft.
“We are excited to welcome our first A321neo aircraft, the latest addition in our growing fleet. The new aircraft ensures operational enhancement, cost efficiency as well as reduction in carbon footprint for us while enabling extra payload capacity, greater fuel efficiency and higher range. The new cabin products on our A321 aircraft truly complement our promise of providing a premium and world-class flying experience to travellers from and to India. All of these aspects perfectly align with our international growth strategy,” said Leslie Thng, Chief Executive Officer, Vistara.
“In these challenging times, differentiation through efficiency, product and customer mindset is what truly matters, and we are proud to see our A321neo as an essential cornerstone in meeting Vistara’s strategic objectives for the future,” says Christian Scherer, Chief Commercial Officer, Airbus. “Providing a competitive edge through India’s best in class business cabin as well as significant advantages in terms of operations, efficiency and environment are a truly wise way for a growing airline going forward.”
The A321neo is the largest member of the Airbus’ benchmark A320 Family, seating up to 240 passengers, depending on cabin configuration. It incorporates the latest technologies, including latest-generation engines, aerodynamic advances and cabin innovations, delivering 20 percent fuel savings. The aircraft offers significant environmental benefits as at least 20 percent reduced emissions and a nearly 50 percent smaller noise footprint compared to previous generation aircraft. To date, the orderbook for the A320neo Family stands at 7,445 aircraft.