Vistara (UK, Delhi International) is considering accelerating its fleet expansion plans in the wake of India's decision to partially abolish its contentious 5/20 rule. The rule originally required carriers to operate at least twenty aircraft and to have been operational for at least five years before they could begin international services.

However, last week, Narendra Modi's government revised the rule by removing the five-year operational requirement and by stipulating that a carrier must now allocate twenty aircraft or 20% of its total capacity (in terms of the average number of seats on all combined departures), whichever is higher, for domestic operations.

As such, Vistara Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Phee Teik Yeoh told India's Business Standard News that while its current business plan envisages a fleet of twenty jets in two year's time, those plans may now be revised and accelerated.

“Based on our current plan, our fleet size will touch 20 by June 2018," he said. "We are seriously thinking of advancing our plans.”

Though it is an all-Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) operation with eleven A320-200 (sl)s in its fleet at present, Phee says the carrier would be open to pitches from both Airbus and Boeing (BOE, Washington National) should the decision be taken to expand beyond its current projections. Widebody aircraft may also be considered, he said.

Fellow Tata Group subsidiary AirAsia India (Bangalore International) has also outlined plans to ramp up its fleet expansion drive. CEO Amar Abrol said last week that the LCC will increase its fleet from six to twenty aircraft “as soon as possible”.