What Is LAT Aerospace, Zomato Founder Deepinder Goyal’s New Aviation Venture?

Eternal (Zomato) co-founder Deepinder Goyal is now setting his sights on transforming a completely different industry aviation. In a bold move, Goyal has launched LAT Aerospace, a startup aiming to revolutionize regional air travel in India. The venture, co-founded with Surobhi Das, was recently announced via LinkedIn and is already generating significant buzz.

Why Aviation, and Why Now?

Despite the rapid growth in India’s metro-to-metro air routes, regional air travel especially in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities remains underdeveloped. As Das explains, India has over 450 airstrips, but only around 150 are operational for commercial flights. That leaves over 300 potential take-off points untapped. 

Millions of Indians are forced to rely on road and rail networks that are often slow and inefficient.

While flying across the country during Zomato’s early expansion, Goyal and Das repeatedly ran into the same question: “Why is regional air travel still broken expensive, infrequent, and inaccessible to most?” LAT Aerospace was born out of the desire to answer that.

What is LAT Aerospace Building?

LAT Aerospace isn’t trying to build just another airline. It’s trying to reimagine air travel entirely, starting with the most basic assumptions: how flights are routed, where aircraft land, and how accessible flying should be.

Key features of LAT’s model include:

• Next-Gen Aircraft: 24-seater, STOL (short take-off and landing) aircraft, engineered for short routes and high frequency.
• Compact Air-Stops: Forget traditional airports. LAT’s planes will take off and land from "air-stops" compact locations no bigger than parking lots, located closer to where people live.
• On-Demand Travel: Flights that function more like buses frequent, scheduled often, and available for everyday commuters.
• Low Infrastructure Burden: By avoiding congested airports and long security lines, LAT aims to reduce time, cost, and hassle for passengers.

Eternal's Co-founder's Vision: A “Bus in the Sky” for Regional India

At its core, LAT Aerospace wants to make flying as easy as taking a bus. Their vision is centered on making air travel affordable, frequent, and available across underserved parts of the country. Not just for major hubs like Delhi or Mumbai but for small towns and remote regions that have long been neglected by mainstream airlines.

Their belief: You shouldn't have to drive 10 hours if you can fly in one.

Can LAT Disrupt Indian Aviation?

The timing seems right. With infrastructure expansion on the government’s radar and demand for fast mobility growing in smaller towns, a scalable regional aviation model could unlock significant economic potential. That said, LAT Aerospace will have to navigate:

• Regulatory hurdles
• Aircraft certification
• Public adoption
• Affordability vs profitability balance

Conclusion

LAT Aerospace brings an ambitious plan to democratise regional air travel in India. By leveraging compact air stops and next-gen aircraft, it targets untapped routes. The venture, led by Eternal’s co-founder Deepinder Goyal, reimagines short-haul flying. Its “bus in the sky” model could benefit Tier 2 and 3 cities. However, regulatory hurdles, cost viability, and consumer trust remain key. Success will depend on execution, scale, and adoption beyond metros.

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