In a long-awaited move, India's Civil Aviation Authority has lifted the ban on in-flight WiFi. The move will allow Indian carriers and airlines overflying Indian airspace to use WiFi on board their aircraft. The new decision also coincides with the delivery of Vistara's first 787-9 Dreamliner, which features WiFi onboard.

A long-awaited move

The reversal on this ban has been in the works for a while now. Back in 2018, the government announced it had framed new rules for inflight WiFi and in 2019 began awarding contracts for the service.

Vistara Aircraft
Despite its young age, Vistara is setting the standard when it comes to Indian aviation. Photo: Boeing

However, there was still no Indian airline that offered WiFi onboard it's aircraft. All of this changed a few days ago when Vistara received its first 787-9 Dreamliner. The new plane features an inflight WiFi system delivered by Panasonic and Nelco, marking a first in Indian aviation.

Why did it take so long

Inflight WiFi is not a new aviation development by any means. Airlines all over the world have been offering it for years, especially on widebody, long-haul flights. The reason Indian carriers chose not to opt for this service was simple: cost.

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An Air India acquisition could give Vistara access to a widebody fleet and slots at airports like Heathrow. Photo: Adrian Pingstone via Wikimedia Commons

Long-haul carriers like Jet Airways and Air India mulled installing inflight WiFi for a while but never decided to due to their precarious financial situations. The decision made sense, seeing as Jet Airways shut down last year and Air India has billions in debt.

Meanwhile, carriers like IndiGo, who were in a much better fiscal situation, recognized the need to keep costs low in an extremely price-sensitive market. This meant there was no active pressure for the government to modernize its inflight WiFi rules since no Indian carrier needed it at the time.

What does the decision mean for the future?

The reversal on the inflight WiFi ban shows India is ready to compete with the rest of the world's airlines. Vistara will begin offering WiFi on its long-haul routes starting in the next few months, and along with a brand-new cabin, could see them become competitive. Currently, only Air India operates any long haul flights out of India, meaning that Vistara is breaking its hold over the market and could see itself surpass the flag carrier in the next few years (if it doesn't buy it first, that is).

Jet airways aircraft at airport behind barbed wire fence
Jet Airways is barely alive these days, hoping for a buyer to rescue it. Photo: Getty Images

WiFi onboard has been a key feature that has evaded Indian airlines in the last few years. As the aviation sector in India continues to rapidly grow, adding services like this could see India become a key player in the international aviation market. The shutdown of Jet Airways dealt a blow to this vision, but Vistara seems to be on track to fill that void. Led by Vistara, this could be the start of a new era for international operations out of India.