Interview

An Interaction with Mr. Vinod Kannan, Chief Commercial Officer, Vistara Airlines

Fly high in the sky

Know more about the airlines and their future plans, here is a quick chat  with the Chief Commercial Officer of Vistara Airlines.

Mr. Vinod Kannan, Chief Commercial Officer - Vistara

What makes Vistara so special amongst the rest?

Vistara fills somewhat of a void in the market as a modern, full-service carrier offering the best of Indian hospitality while maintaining world-class standards. In terms of our product and service attributes, the aircraft in our fleet are new and offer the best passenger-centric features, thus, allowing us to deliver a great flying experience to our customers. The experience is further enhanced by the cutting-edge inflight entertainment system, WiFi connectivity, the choice of three cabin classes including Premium Economy, and delectable onboard cuisine. Additionally, our on-board service is delivered by our cabin crew who have been trained to offer the same service excellence which Tata and Singapore Airlines are renowned for. Also, the strong preference for non-stop, direct connectivity amongst customers also gives us a significant competitive edge in the global aviation market.

Vistara has also launched its presence in Japan recently. What are the future plans of Vistara airlines?

Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have expanded our network to 7 new international destinations, under travel bubble agreements, including London Heathrow, Dhaka, Doha, Frankfurt, Sharjah, Malé and Japan.  We have operated charter flights to many other international destinations such as Hong Kong and Seoul. We continue to review more such opportunities to maximise our international footprint. The momentum we have gained in the last one year on our international expansion has been rewarding. Having received a temporary Foreign Air Carrier permit from the Department of Transportation, USA, we are hopeful to start long-haul operations to the US in the coming months. 

Our fleet of 48 aircraft, including 37 Airbus A320, three Airbus A321neo, six Boeing B737-800NG, and two Boeing B787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, has flown more than 25 million customers since starting operations. We are also on track to achieve a fleet of 70 aircraft by 2023.

Which is your favorite destination in the world?

London

Tell us about your favorite airport in the world & why?

My favourite airport is our hub – Terminal 3, Indira Gandhi International Airport. It is also undoubtedly one of the finest airports globally, apart from being among the most connected ones in Asia.