Star Air (India) (S5, Belgaum) has reiterated that it intends to grow its fleet and network over the coming months. It will also enter into the MRO business via a joint venture, according to CEO Simran Singh Tiwana.
"As we enter our next phase, growth, expansion, and consolidation will be at the core of our strategy," he told local reporters. "By the end of this financial year, we aim to operate a fleet of 14 aircraft, consolidating our network with over 100 flights across our 23-station network to maximise efficiency, aircraft utilisation, and service reliability."
India's financial year runs from April to March. Currently, Star Air operates a fleet of nine Embraer aircraft, including five E145s and four E175s. The aircraft operate around 44 flights per day to 22 destinations within India.
Star Air specialises in connecting tier II and tier III cities. Tiwana says the airline has started services on over 90% of all routes allocated to it by the Indian government through its UDAN regional connectivity scheme. He says the carrier plans to add another five destinations this year, a mix of commercial and subsidised routes.
Tiwana also said it was looking at a joint venture to set up an MRO facility focusing on the line and major maintenance needs of business and regional jets. While he did not disclose specific details regarding investment and potential partners, he said Star Air had already established an engineering subsidiary to manage the process and had identified a site for the facility.
