Summary
- Star Air has become India's largest private regional airline with a fleet of eight Embraer aircraft and plans for further expansion.
- The airline's Embraer E175 aircraft offer premium cabin on regional routes operated under the UDAN scheme.
- Star Air aims to fly to 20 destinations by March 2024, increase flight frequencies, and triple its revenue to approximately ₹7 billion ($85 million) next year.
Recent developments with India’s Star Air, along with the induction of its latest aircraft, have made it a dominant player in India’s regional aviation space. The airline now claims to be India's largest private regional airline, with robust expansion plans for the current financial year.
Largest private regional airline
Star Air has claimed the spot for the largest private regional airline in India. The carrier operates eight Embraer aircraft currently to destinations mostly in South and West India. It recently received its third Embraer E175 aircraft which will allow it to expand further into the regional market. Shrenik Ghodawat, Director of Star Air, commented,
“Becoming the largest regional airline in India is a testament to our unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality and convenient air travel to our passengers. With our expanding fleet and network, we are focused on enhancing regional connectivity and providing passengers across India with seamless and comfortable travel options. We will soon be commencing all the 40 routes awarded to us under UDAN 5."
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Recent developments
Star Air introduced the Embraer E175 aircraft earlier this year with an inaugural Bengaluru-Hyderabad-Jamnagar flight. The airline's two-class E175s are the first to offer premium seating on regional routes across India.
With the addition of the third Embraer E175, Star Air’s total fleet strength has now reached eight, including five Embraer E145s. Star Air reached an agreement with lessor Nordic Aviation Capital for two E175s last July and later increased to four aircraft.
The 76-seat Embraer E175 aircraft offers 12 business-class and 64 economy-class seats, a configuration generally not seen within the regional aviation sector in India. In fact, with the introduction of E175, Star Air became the only operator offering a business class product on routes falling under India’s regional connectivity scheme called UDAN.
Latest data from India’s aviation regulator shows Star Air’s domestic market share to be 0.2%. However, the airline has massive plans for this financial year and wants to fly to 20 destinations by March 2024 and increase flight frequencies to existing destinations.
About Star Air
Based in Bengaluru in South India, Star Air received its Air Operator Certificate in January 2019 and began operation later that month between Bengaluru and Hubballi. It focuses on many routes under India’s regional flying scheme UDAN and currently has scheduled services to more than 15 destinations, including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Indore, and Tirupati, among others.
With just four years of operational history, it is one of India’s youngest airlines and is the first in the country to introduce Embraer 145 aircraft to fly on domestic routes.
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Star Air wants to triple its revenue to around ₹7 billion ($85 million) next year. The airline, which has a tagline ‘Connecting Real India,’ continued to operate all through the pandemic, including its first international charter to the Maldives in December 2020.
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