Shankh Airlines is likely to start its operations in the first half of January with a fleet of three Airbus planes, initially concentrating on connecting Lucknow with Delhi, Mumbai, and other metropolitan cities, Shankh Airlines Chairman Shravan Kumar Vishwakarma revealed on Tuesday.
The airline would also operate flights in places across the state of Uttar Pradesh in the initial phase, according to Vishwakarma, who stated that the airline would induct two more planes in the coming one and a half months. “Currently, the strength of the planes is small. When the strength of the planes is augmented, we would operate in the whole of the country,” he told PTI Videos. The 35-year-old entrepreneur stated that the prime agenda behind Shankh Airlines is to provide winged transport to the common man and shatter the image that traveling by airplanes is only for the elite. “An airplane is only a mode of transport, like a bus and a tempo. There is nothing special about it,” he said.
Reminding the airline’s start, Vishwakarma said, “The idea of foraying into the aviation industry came to me four years ago. After the idea came, I started understanding the procedures for executing it, where to obtain the NOC, what the norms are and how it all works. Now, something which came four years ago as a thought is actually in place.” According to Vishwakarma, who belongs to a middle-class family, even harboring dreams was a distant possibility in his childhood. “In a situation like ours, even survival is a satisfaction. dreaming beyond this is considered impossible.”
“I didn’t have much education, and I didn’t take education seriously either. I used to drive autos for some friends and indulged in a few small ventures, most of which went down. However, my foray into business picked up in 2014 when I ventured into the cement business. This was followed by engagements in TMT steel, mining, and transport. Today, for instance, we have more than 400 trucks under our possession. The expansion has been very organic and natural. There has been no elaborate planning. It has just grown over time. “Aviation is one of the quickest growing industries in the world. Its greatest advantage is the high cash flow. There is no credit system in the aviation business. In most industries, if the business fails, it is because it runs on credit. Aviation doesn’t operate in that manner.”
Elaborating on the name of the airline, he said, “Our trade business was already named Shankh. The name also has a cultural connection. Therefore, we retained the name of the airlines Shankh also.” Talking about the initial investment in the aviation sector, Vishwakarma explained that the airline has the full support of its parent company. “Our airplanes are acquired on lease and finance from other companies. This means we don’t have any investment-related issues. Our concern is not the market share of other airlines,” he said.
When asked about fares, Vishwakarma said that fares would not be raised during festival seasons, but business class fares would be charged at a higher rate than other airlines. Creating employment opportunities for youth would also be done by the airlines, he said. Counseling youth, Vishwakarma said, “First of all, they should stop bothering about what people will say. If a person who used to drive a tempo can run an airline, then others can also progress. The only difference is in the mindset.”
