India Gets Two New Airlines as Govt Clears Al Hind Air, FlyExpress: What We Know So Far

India

oi-Ashish Rana

Published: Wednesday, December 24, 2025, 17:19 [IST]

India’s
aviation
landscape
is
set
to
expand
further
after
the
civil
aviation
ministry
granted
approval
to
two
new
airlines,
Al
Hind
Air
and
FlyExpress.

The
clearances
mark
another
step
in
the
government’s
push
to
widen
competition
and
improve
connectivity
in
one
of
the
world’s
fastest-growing
aviation
markets.

Both
carriers
received
their
no-objection
certificates
from
the
ministry
this
week
and
are
expected
to
begin
operations
next
year,
according
to
PTI.

Govt
Grants
NOCs
to
New
Carriers

Confirming
the
development,
Civil
Aviation
Minister
K
Rammohan
Naidu
said
the
ministry
had
engaged
with
multiple
aspiring
airlines
over
the
past
week.

“Over
the
last
one
week,
pleased
to
have
met
teams
from
new
airlines
aspiring
to
take
wings
in
Indian
skies-
Shankh
Air,
Al
Hind
Air
and
FlyExpress.
While
Shankh
Air
has
already
got
the
NOC
from
the
Ministry,
Al
Hind
Air
and
FlyExpress
have
received
their
NOCs
this
week,” Naidu
said
in
a
post
on
X.

Apart
from
Al
Hind
Air
and
FlyExpress,
Uttar
Pradesh-based
Shankh
Air
is
also
preparing
to
commence
flight
operations
in
2026,
having
already
secured
its
NOC
earlier.

Why
the
Government
Is
Expanding
the
Airline
Pool

The
approvals
come
at
a
time
when
the
ministry
is
actively
looking
to
increase
the
number
of
airline
operators
in
the
country.
India’s
domestic
aviation
sector
is
currently
dominated
by
IndiGo
and
the
Air
India
Group,
which
together
account
for
more
than
90
per
cent
of
the
market
share.

At
present,
nine
domestic
airlines
are
operational,
although
regional
carrier
Fly
Big
suspended
its
scheduled
services
in
October,
PTI
reported.

The
government
believes
adding
more
players
will
boost
competition,
stabilise
services
and
expand
air
connectivity,
particularly
to
underserved
regions.

What
We
Know
About
Al
Hind
Air

Al
Hind
Air
is
promoted
by
the
Kerala-based
Alhind
Group
and
is
positioning
itself
as
a
regional
commuter
airline.
According
to
its
website,
the
airline
plans
to
begin
operations
with
ATR
72-600
aircraft.

The
carrier
will
initially
focus
on
domestic
routes
before
expanding
to
international
destinations
at
a
later
stage.

“Based
at
the
Kochi
hub,
alhindair
is
actively
collaborating
with
Cochin
International
Airport
Limited
(CIAL)
to
ensure
a
seamless
setup
of
its
operational
base,” the
airline
said
on
its
website.

Approval
Comes
Amid
Duopoly
Concerns

The
NOCs
for
Al
Hind
Air
and
FlyExpress
have
been
issued
amid
growing
concerns
over
an
apparent
duopoly
in
India’s
aviation
sector.
These
worries
intensified
after
IndiGo,
which
controls
over
65
per
cent
of
the
domestic
market,
faced
major
operational
disruptions
earlier
this
month.

Thousands
of
flights
were
cancelled
during
the
crisis,
leaving
millions
of
passengers
stranded
and
triggering
widespread
baggage
issues.

“It
has
been
endeavour
of
the
ministry
to
encourage
more
airlines
in
Indian
Aviation
which
is
amongst
the
fastest
growing
aviation
markets
in
the
world
owing
to
the
policies
of
the
government
of
Hon’ble
PM
Shri
@narendramodi
ji,”
Naidu
said
in
another
post
on
X.

He
added
that
schemes
such
as
UDAN
had
helped
smaller
airlines
including
Star
Air,
India
One
Air
and
Fly91
play
a
crucial
role
in
strengthening
regional
connectivity.

Following
the
disruptions,
the
government
stepped
in,
tightening
oversight
on
IndiGo’s
operations
and
summoning
its
chief
executive
officer
Pieter
Elbers
and
chief
operating
officer
Isidro
Porqueras
before
the
aviation
regulator
DGCA.