New Delhi
FLY91, a regional airline based in Goa, is set to commence commercial flights on March 18. With an initial fleet of two ATR 72-600 planes, the airline plans to expand its operations by adding four more aircraft in its first year. The carrier, headed by MD and CEO Manoj Chacko, aims to break even within 18-24 months and will be supported by Viability Gap Funding (VGF) under the UDAN regional air connectivity scheme.
FLY91 intends to build a profitable and sustainable business model while focusing on scalability. Initially, the airline will offer weekly flights between Goa, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, as well as connectivity between Sindhudurg, Maharashtra, and Bengaluru/Hyderabad.
Future routes include services to Agatti, Pune, Jalgaon, and Nanded, with flights to Agatti scheduled to commence from April. The airline plans to increase its staff strength from 200 to around 350-360 by the end of its first year of operations, with strategic insights drawn from studying successful and failed airlines. FLY91 received its air operator permit from the DGCA on March 6.