Fly91 is planning an aggressive expansion of its regional aviation operations, with a long-term goal of operating more than 60 aircraft and connecting around 50 cities across India over the next 5 to 6 years.
The strategy reflects growing demand for air connectivity beyond India’s major metropolitan centres.
Current Operations
At present, Fly91 operates:
Metric Current Status
Fleet Size 6 ATR aircraft
Destinations 12 cities
Weekly Flights Approximately 280
Aircraft Type ATR turboprops
The airline focuses on underserved regional routes where scheduled air connectivity remains limited.
Expansion Plans
According to Managing Director and CEO Manoj Chacko, the airline intends to significantly expand its network by targeting smaller cities and tourist destinations.
Potential expansion markets include:
Jalgaon
Solapur
Sindhudurg
Agatti
Kullu
The objective is to strengthen regional connectivity and capture demand from cities that currently have limited airline services.
Why Regional Aviation Matters
According to industry estimates:
Only about 3% of India’s intercity travel currently takes place by air.
Air traffic remains heavily concentrated in a relatively small number of large cities.
India may require more than 200 additional regional aircraft over the coming years to meet growing demand.
This creates a sizeable opportunity for regional carriers such as Fly91.
ATR Fleet Provides Cost Advantage
Fly91 operates an all-ATR fleet supplied by ATR.
Fuel Cost Comparison
Category Fuel Cost as % of Revenue
Fly91 (Normal Conditions) 22%–23%
Fly91 (Recent ATF Increase) 28%–30%
Typical Jet Airlines 32%–40%
The lower fuel consumption of turboprop aircraft helps make regional routes economically viable, especially on shorter sectors.
ATR’s Presence in India
ATR currently has:
Around 70 aircraft operating with Indian airlines.
Annual production of roughly 40 aircraft.
Global sales of 50–60 aircraft per year.
Operations across nearly 100 countries.
The aircraft are manufactured in Toulouse and are widely used for regional connectivity due to their efficiency on short-haul routes.
Industry Outlook
India’s regional aviation market continues to benefit from:
Expanding airport infrastructure.
Government regional connectivity initiatives.
Rising disposable incomes.
Increased demand from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.
Tourism and business travel growth outside metro regions.
Conclusion
Fly91’s plan to expand from 6 aircraft to more than 60 and connect approximately 50 cities highlights the significant growth potential in India’s regional aviation sector. With air travel still accounting for a small share of intercity transportation and many cities remaining underserved, regional carriers are positioning themselves to benefit from the next phase of India’s aviation growth story.
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