Fairfax India’s former head, Kingfisher Airlines veteran plans regional airline Fly91
The man behind Fairfax India, Manoj Chacko, has teamed up with an aviation veteran from Vijay Mallya’s once five-star carrier, Kingfisher Airlines, to launch a new regional airline in India. Fly91 (91 for India’s country code) will offer domestic and international air travel services to customers. Chacko, who was the executive vice president at Kingfisher, chief operating officer, and CEO, of business travel at travel company SOTC, will be the CEO of the new airline.
The company plans to operate a fleet of narrow-bodied aircraft, such as the A320 and B737, and will initially focus on connecting tier-2 and tier-3 cities in India and major cities in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries. The airline expected to launch its services in the next 12 to 18 months. It will be based in New Delhi and will have a hub in Mumbai. The company is in the process of registering with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The airline plans to offer both full-service and low-cost travel options to customers. It will have a focus on customer service and on-time performance. It is also expected to make use of technology to provide a seamless experience to customers.
Fly91 is the latest entrant in the Indian aviation market, which is one of the most competitive in the world. With the entry of new players such as AirAsia India, Vistara, and Air Pegasus, the competition has only intensified. It remains to be seen whether Fly91 can succeed in such a crowded market. The company will have to offer competitive fares and good service if it wants to stand out from the competition. With the entry of Fly91, Fairfax India will be able to leverage its expertise. And it will resource and provide value to the aviation market in India.