In response to soaring demand for travel between major Indian cities and Bali, two carriers, Vistara and IndiGo, are upscaling their services to the Indonesian island.
On March 27, 2024, Vistara announced it would be switching the type of equipment it deploys on the Delhi (DEL) to Denpasar, Bali (DPS) route from the current Airbus A321s to wide-bodied Boeing 787-9s – a clear indication of just how quickly demand is growing on the route. The switch comes into effect at the start of the IATA summer scheduling season on March 31, 2024. Vistara has been the sole provider of direct flights between these two cities to date.
The airline first introduced services on the route in December 2023 using its single A321NX(LR) registered VT-TVG. This aircraft seats 188 passengers in a three-class configuration (12 business class, 24 premium economy, and 152 in economy). The type will be replaced on the route by an aircraft from the carrier’s fleet of seven 787-9s. These can accommodate 299 passengers (30 business, 21 premium, and 248 economy) – 60 more passengers than the A321.
“We are excited to announce the utilization of our cutting-edge Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner for flights connecting Delhi and Bali,” said Deepak Rajawat, Vistara’s Chief Commercial Officer.
“This strategic move to enhance capacity reflects Vistara’s dedication to optimizing operations in light of the impressive performance of the Delhi to Bali route and the consistent increase in demand for direct connections between India and Indonesia,” he added.
“With top-tier amenities, enhanced comfort, delicious inflight meals, and outstanding service, we believe our customers will value the opportunity to experience Vistara’s Dreamliner when traveling this route.”
Elsewhere in India, IndiGo Airlines, the country’s largest carrier in terms of both fleet size and passenger volume, has just revealed plans to operate its longest route to date with the introduction of daily flights to Denpasar (DPS), Bali from Bengaluru (BLR). The route represents the airline’s 33rd international destination and its 119th overall. Commencing March 29, 2024, the airline will deploy the company’s 182-strong fleet of Airbus A320neos on the route.
The new flights will depart Bengaluru at 00:05 (flight number 6E1605), arriving in Bali at 10:20. The return flight (6E1606) departs Bali at 11:20 arriving back in Bengaluru at 15:15. The Bengaluru to Bali service, once underway, will hold the distinction of being the longest narrowbody flight within IndiGo’s network.
Bali also represents the second Indonesian gateway for the Indian low-cost megacarrier. IndiGo commenced services linking Mumbai (BOM) with Jakarta (CGK) in August 2023.
