Two new airlines , Al Hind Air and FlyExpress – are all set to hit the Indian skies, with the carriers getting no objection certificates from the civil aviation ministry. In 2026, other than these two, Uttar Pradesh-based Shankh Air that already has NOC too is likely to commence operations. Al Hind Air is being promoted by Kerala-based alhind Group. The ministry is keen to have more airline operators in the country which is one of the world’s fastest growing domestic civil aviation markets.
At present, the country has nine operational scheduled domestic carriers. Fly Big, a regional airline, stopped scheduled flights last month. IndiGo and Air India Group – Air India and Air India Express combined – reportedly have more than 90 per cent of the domestic market share. Concerns about apparent duopoly in the fast-growing domestic airlines’ industry got amplified this month in the wake of massive operational disruptions at IndiGo, which is leading the market with more than 65 per cent market share.
“Over the last one week, had the pleasure of meeting teams of new airlines that aspire to spread their wings in Indian airspace Shankh Air, Al Hind Air, and FlyExpress. Although Shankh Air has already received the NOC from the Ministry, Al Hind Air and FlyExpress have received their NOCs this week,” said Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu in an X post on Tuesday.
“It is the effort of the ministry to promote more airlines in the Indian aviation sector, which is one amongst the fastest-growing aviation markets,” as per him. Programs like the UDAN scheme have allowed the smaller airlines, Star Air, India One Air, and Fly91, to make a significant contribution to the regional connectivity in the country, and there is still room to grow, according to him.
Apart from Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, and government-owned Alliance Air, other scheduled carriers operating in the country are Akasa Air, SpiceJet, Star Air, Fly91, and IndiaOne Air, as per the latest available data with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
