Star Air to expand domestically before going international: CEO Tiwana

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Businessline

Regional airline Star Air will focus on expanding its domestic network and increasing flight frequencies before pursuing international operations, the airline’s Chief Executive Officer, Simran Singh Tiwana, told businessline.

“We will first commence flight operations to new domestic destinations and increase frequencies. We are looking at starting flights to four to five new cities this year,” Tiwana said.

The airline currently operates to 25 stations, such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolhapur, Ghaziabad (Hindon), Ajmer (Kishangarh), Raipur, Jharasuguda, Belagavi, Diu, and Ahmedabad, among others.

“However, under our three-year strategy, we are progressively making preparations for international operations by inducting aircraft and increasing capacity. These operations under our current strategy are expected to take place by the first quarter of FY28,” he said.

Star Air is set to expand its fleet to 25 aircraft over the next 36 months to enhance domestic connectivity and support the regional air connectivity UDAN scheme, said the CEO.

“As part of this growth plan, the airline will induct two Embraer E175 aircraft in FY26, followed by four additional aircraft in FY27. Currently, we are operating a fleet of ten Embraer jets,” Tiwana said.

“Our expansion is focused on making air travel more accessible to underserved and emerging regions across the country.”

Notably, he pointed out the untapped potential in regions such as North Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Eastern Maharashtra, Punjab, and Haryana, where economic activity is on the rise, but direct air connectivity remains limited.

“Industrial corridors and emerging Tier 3 cities like Kolhapur, Sindhudurg, Jamnagar, and Belagavi are prime examples of where enhanced connectivity can catalyse regional growth. Similarly, religious and cultural hubs such as Ayodhya, Shirdi, Tirupati, and Nanded are witnessing increasing footfall as domestic tourism surges,” he said.

“With a fuel-efficient Embraer fleet and the agility to operate from smaller airports, we are uniquely positioned to serve these markets. Our strategy is to be the first mover in regions where demand exists but remains underserved by larger carriers.”

Some of the expected new destinations in FY26 include parts of Orissa, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh, Tiwana hinted.

Furthermore, he estimated that the industry is poised for strong growth, with domestic air passenger traffic projected to rise by approximately 7 per cent in 2025-26.

On the other hand, Tiwana cited that the global economic uncertainties could create headwinds for the travel and tourism sector, potentially dampening discretionary spending and business travel.

“Adding to this complexity is the slowed pace of aircraft inductions by several Indian carriers, due to supply chain constraints and financial pressures. This may limit their ability to expand fleets and meet the rising demand,” Tiwana said.

“On the other hand, we are well-positioned on this front, with a steady fleet expansion plan in place and no disruptions to our aircraft induction pipeline.”

The regional player operates an all-Embraer E145 and E175 fleet. The aircraft features a 2×2 seating configuration, and in the E175, it includes a dedicated business class option.

“These attributes make the E175 ideally suited for regional routes, particularly those connecting Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, perfectly aligning with Star Air’s mission to strengthen regional connectivity and accessibility across India.”

Published on May 22, 2025