When it comes to airlines in India, everyone wants to be in this space, given the considerable potential that aviation still has in the country. In 2023, another new name came to the fore (actually an old one), and we may now see the launch of another new carrier shortly.

Fly91 takes shape

I haven’t written about Fly91, but the airline has been going through the setup procedures for over a year. Fly91 is the baby of Convergent Finance LLP, an investment firm, and of Manoj Chacko, an experienced Indian hand in the aviation business who has previously worked at Kingfisher Airlines and Emirates. The executive behind Convergent Finance LLP was formerly running the Indian operations of Fairfax Financial in India (the entity that also owns a substantial stake in Bengaluru Airport). The investment firm has committed INR 200 Crores (USD 2.4 Million), which Chacko believes will be enough for the first few years of the airline.

The airline, which borrows its name from the International dialling code for India (91), is a regional airline based in Goa at the new GOX airport. It intends to operate in the short-haul segment, in which flights last between 45 and 90 minutes. The airline will serve India’s regional airports, from which ~30 per cent of India’s domestic passengers originate. During the COVID-19 era, regional carriers such as Trujet and Zoom Air ceased all their operations.

The airline intends to operate an all ATR 72-600 fleet with 76 seats each and currently has two on lease from Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, a leasing firm. The Goa-based airline will follow a dry-lease model for aircraft and is all set to start operations with two aircraft, scale up to six in the first year, and add 32 planes in five years of operation. Cities in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Karnataka are on Fly91’s radar, such as Hubbali, Shirdi, Nashik, Belgaum, and so on.

Fly91 receives the first aircraft and uses it to receive its AOP from the Indian regulator DGCA.

Fly91’s first aircraft arrived in its fleet towards the end of February 2024. On February 29 and March 2, 2024, the airline operated proving flights under the supervision of the DGCA between Bengaluru airport and Goa Mopa. Today, the airline received its AOP from the DGCA.

The grant of the AOC is the final step in completing all regulatory and compliance requirements for the airline to begin its commercial operations.

The routes allotted under UDAN 5.0 will see FLY91 connect the cities of Sindhudurg, Jalgaon, Nanded in Maharashtra and Agatti in Lakshadweep, along with other business and leisure destinations, namely Bengaluru, Goa, Hyderabad and Pune.

Fly91’s commercial code and uniforms

The regional airline recently received its airline code, IC, which was also used by Indian Airlines before its merger with Air India. The airline also unveiled its uniform, which is very summery and in similar colours to the airline’s livery.

Bottomline

Fly91 is a new airline headquartered in Goa that intends to fly an all-ATR turboprop fleet and connect tier 2 and tier 3 cities around India. The airline has received its Air Operators Permit from the Indian aviation regulator, DGCA, and will now open for ticketing shortly.

What do you think of the regional aviation space in India and the arrival of Fly91?

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