GoAir to start operations from Chenai

City to be the airline's 22nd destination

Expecting addition of two more aircrafts to its fleet this fiscal, Mumbai-based domestic airliner GoAir is slated begin operations from Chennai airport from May 1, company CEO Giorgio De Roni said today.

"We are starting our operations in Chennai from May 1 and the city will be our 22th destination. We are (also) expecting two A320s this fiscal," Roni told reporters here.

GoAir has 11 aircrafts in its fleet and would have 20 by the end of 2015 and another 72 flights of A320neo (A320 with New Engine Option) by 2016, he said.

"A320neo-s will help us in cutting down the expenditure, as they are 15% (more) fuel efficient and has less emission," he said.

Holding that their forecast of passengers from Chennai would be around 10%, he said the company would introduce double-daily round-trip services between Chennai and Mumbai, a daily flight between Chennai and Pune and five weekly frequencies between Chennai and Port Blair.

GoAir presently has 30,000 flight services constituting over 50,000 flight hours, carrying four million passengers to 21 destinations.

"We aim for 35,000 flight services over 60,000 flight hours carrying five million passengers to 22 destinations this fiscal," he said.

Asked whether GoAir had aspirations to go international with its increased fleet by 2016, he said: "We might have new plans later, but our core business will be domestic."