Malayali-owned regional airline FLY91 has placed an order for 40 new ATR aircraft worth ₹9,400 crore, marking a major expansion plan for the young carrier.
The order comprises 40 aircraft, each with a seating capacity of 70 passengers. According to the report, it is the largest ATR order placed by a regional airline globally. FLY91 will also lease another six to eight aircraft before the new planes are delivered, although the airline has not specified a timeline for adding all 40 aircraft to its fleet.
FLY91 began operations in early 2024 and currently operates around 280 flights a week to 12 destinations. Its network includes cities such as Pune, Sindhudurg, Solapur and Jalgaon in Maharashtra, Agatti in Lakshadweep, Hubballi in Karnataka, and Tirupati, Vijayawada and Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh. These destinations are connected with major hubs including Bengaluru, Goa, Kochi and Hyderabad.
The airline is owned by Malayali entrepreneur Manoj Chacko, who has more than three decades of experience in the aviation sector and previously served as Executive Vice President of Kingfisher Airlines.
FLY91 operates under the government’s UDAN regional connectivity scheme, which aims to improve affordable air connectivity to smaller cities and towns. The planned aircraft expansion could allow the airline to strengthen its network and increase its presence in India’s regional aviation market.
