Tata-backed Vistara readies Delhi-Tokyo flights amid virus surge

Vistara, a full-service carrier backed by Indian conglomerate Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, will begin direct flights between Delhi and Tokyo next month despite growing business uncertainty from surging COVID-19 cases in India. "Far East has been an extremely important geography for our global expansion from the beginning for its tremendous growth potential," Vistara CEO Leslie Thng said. The new weekly service will begin June 16 and bring travelers from India straight to Haneda Airport, which is much closer to downtown Tokyo than Narita Airport. But the outlook for the new route is murky. New coronavirus cases in India are breaking daily records as variants run rampant. Japan tightened restrictions for travelers from India, Pakistan and Nepal this week, requiring them to quarantine at government-designated facilities for six days instead of the previous three. The ban on entry into Japan remains in place for foreign visitors. <br/>