Air India to fly Vistara’s A320 planes on key metro routes

The A320 aircraft, known for its high-quality narrow-body cabin products, will operate on five key routes

Air India has announced plans to optimise its network by deploying former Vistara A320 aircraft on five major metro-to-metro routes, including Delhi-Mumbai and Mumbai-Hyderabad. This move is part of the airline’s ongoing transformation efforts under the Tata Group.

The A320 aircraft, known for its high-quality narrow-body cabin products, will operate on five key routes: Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Bengaluru, Delhi-Hyderabad, Mumbai-Bengaluru, and Mumbai-Hyderabad, according to a PTI report citing the airline press release. These planes offer a three-class configuration, including business, premium economy, and economy seats, catering to passengers seeking a full-service flying experience.

While A320 aircraft will be deployed on these routes, Air India will continue to operate one flight per day with a wide-body aircraft—either a Boeing 777 or Airbus A350—on select routes, including Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Bengaluru, and Delhi-Hyderabad.

The airline, which now boasts a fleet of 208 planes, including around 67 wide-body aircraft, has announced an ambitious plan to gradually expand its route coverage. This will occur as new aircraft are inducted into its fleet, and the retrofit of its legacy narrow-body planes is completed by 2025.

"We are excited to offer a refined choice for our passengers as we leverage the strengths of both Air India and Vistara," said Campbell Wilson, CEO and Managing Director of Air India. "The merger has unlocked opportunities to provide the best narrow-body product on high-demand routes, ensuring passengers enjoy the convenience of frequent full-service flights."

Air India now operates more than 1,000 weekly flights on these key routes, with over 35,000 premium seats—business and premium economy—available every week.

The merger of Vistara with Air India earlier this month has already begun to show positive results, with flights operated by Vistara aircraft now carrying flight numbers starting with the 'AI2' prefix. The integration of Vistara's services promises to enhance the overall flying experience and expand Air India’s footprint in the competitive domestic air travel market.

(With inputs from PTI)