Deepinder Goyal, the founder of the renowned online food delivery platform Zomato, is entering the aviation industry. He is on an ambitious new journey, venturing into the Indian aviation sector with the launch of LAT Aerospace. This move is aimed at revolutionizing regional air travel in India. It also aims to make it more affordable and accessible to people in remote areas.
Deepinder Goyal, along with co-founder Surobhi Das, have invested a total of $50 million. Out of which $20 million has been invested by Deepinder. They are now inviting a world-class team of engineers, designers, and aviation specialists.
Addressing India’s Regional Connectivity Gap
Deepinder and Surobhi identified a major gap in the air connectivity between the big cities and the remote areas. LAT Aerospace is positioning itself to tackle the significant challenge of limited air connectivity. They found that out of nearly 450 airstrips nationwide, only one-third are used while the rest remain unused. This led to low access for the millions of people in the Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities underserved.
Surobhi shared the concern on the same and said, ” While building Zomato and flying across India, Deepinder and I kept circling back to the same question: Why is regional air travel still so broken, expensive, infrequent and mostly out of reach unless you live in a metro?”
She added, “India has over 450 airstrips – but only 150 see commercial flights. That means nearly two-thirds of our aviation potential is being wasted. Meanwhile, millions in Tier 2 and 3 cities spend hours, sometimes days, travelling by road or rail.”
The “Buses in the Sky” Model
LAT Aerospace focuses on making flying a regular part of daily life. Their business model is based on the following core principles:
- They offer low prices so more people can afford to fly.
- They plan to fly often to places that aren’t well-served by major airlines.
- They will use small planes, usually with a capacity 12 to 24 passengers, that can take off and land on short runways.
This lets them reach more areas and operate from smaller spaces. Instead of big airports, they want to set up small, convenient stops, similar to parking lots, that are close to cities and towns. These stops will make travelling easier by cutting out long lines, strict security checks, and the hassle of checking luggage. The company thinks this system will make travelling between cities much faster than using cars or trains, which can be slow and tiring.
Executing the Idea and Team Building
Now, since the plan has been executed and investment has been made by Deepinder Goyal, it’s time for the team building and recruiting talented people. The company is hiring top talent in aerospace engineering, propulsion systems, aerodynamics, and design to execute their vision and bring their ambitious plan to life.
What’s Next?
Although regional air travel in India has a lot of promise, LAT Aerospace is aware that entering the aviation industry presents significant obstacles. Among these are navigating complex laws and regulations, developing and testing novel aircraft designs, and convincing people to believe in and adopt this mode of transportation.
With Zomato, Goyal has a proven track record of expanding companies and revolutionizing established sectors. Overcoming these challenges is likely going to be greatly aided by his knowledge of technology, logistics management, and client needs.
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