Blitz Bureau
An Indian business group with presence in the UAE will launch an airline that they claim will provide economical air tickets for residents. The Alhind group, which has been operating in the travel industry for more than three decades, has received the mandatory clearance required to start its domestic airline in India.
Mohammad Haris, group chairman, told Khaleej Times that they were in the final stages of getting approvals. “Last week, we had a meeting with officials at the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL); we submitted all documents required for landing permission at the airport,” he said. “We had earlier received the no objection certificate (NOC) to start the airline. We are hoping to begin operations by January 2025, if not earlier,” he added.
Alhind Airline will begin with three ATR-72 turboprop planes. Initially serving just Indian cities, the company has plans to expand rapidly. “We will start with three flights but as soon as we have 20 flights, we will begin international operations and our first destination will be the UAE,” confirmed a spokesperson for the company.
“We have had a presence in this region for several years and some of our most loyal customers are from the UAE. We will aim to keep our ticket prices as one of the lowest in the market to serve the expats here. The Middle East will be the focus of our international operations.”
Although he did not commit to a definitive time frame for start of international operations, he said the company is aiming for it at the earliest. “Previously, Akash Airline in India started its international operations within just 17 months of starting its domestic airline,” he said. “We are hoping to follow a similar timeline if not shorter,” he added.
