India’s Star Air adds 10th Embraer jet
Having launched services in 2019, India’s regional airline Star Air added its 10th aircraft in late April.
The new regional jet is a 76-seat Embraer E175 (12 in business and 64 in economy) leased from Azorra and registered as VT-GSK.
The aircraft had previously flown with Greece’s Marathon Airlines, which provides wet-leasing services. The jet has been grounded since September last year.
According to ADS-B data, VT-GSK took off from Hurghada, Egypt, on April 27, made a technical stopover in Muscat, Oman, before arriving in Bengaluru the following day.
Plan to reach 25 aircraft
With the new E175, Star Air now has a fleet of 10 aircraft, five of which are ERJ 145s and the rest are from the E-Jet family, both from Embraer.
Although it has a small route network compared to other Indian airlines, Star Air is expanding rapidly, with plans to receive four more E175s by March 2026 and add 15 more destinations.
The plan is to reach 25 aircraft and serve more than 50 destinations in India in the next two years.
“Our expansion aligns perfectly with our vision of connecting Real India. We are committed to sustainable, dependable growth that strengthens regional connectivity, empowers smaller cities, and fulfills the aspirations of the next billion travelers,” said Captain Simran Singh Tiwana, CEO of Star Air.
UDAN Scheme
Star Air has taken advantage of the Indian government’s plan to expand its flight offerings to underserved regions in the country.
Dubbed the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme, the project provides for lower airport charges and financial support for the first three years of operation.
The small airline has already carried nearly 1.5 million passengers under the scheme and is now looking to serve larger cities.
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