Categories: Travel

New regional carrier Fly91 takes flight, commercial operations from March 18, ET TravelWorld

Fly91, a new regional airline, took flight with th e inaugural flight being flagged off by Union Minister for Civil Aviation and Steel, Jyotiraditya Scindia. The maiden journey departed from Manohar International Airport (MOPA), Goa, destined for Agatti Islands in Lakshadweep.

From Goa’s Manohar International Airport, the flag off for the first-Goa based airline was done by Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in presence of Union Minister of State for Tourism Shripad Naik, Goa Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte, Rajya Sabha MP Sadanand Shet Tanavade, and Fly91 CEO Manoj Chako and others.

In his address, Scindia hailed the transformative growth of India’s aviation sector under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. He emphasised the government’s commitment to expanding air connectivity to tier 2 and tier 3 cities through the UDAN scheme. The scheme aims to elevate domestic air traffic to 30 crores by 2030, a significant leap from 6 crores in 2014.

“Fly91 will primarily connect tier 2 and 3 cities, along with other destinations in India. The First Flight is directly connecting Goa to Agatti (Lakshadweep) following the vision of Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji. The airline will give a great boost to Dekho Apna Desh and tourism in Goa. I wish all the best to Fly91 for a bright future,” Goa CM Sawant said.

Fly91 announced that scheduled flights will commence from March 18, 2024, connecting Manohar International Airport, Goa, with Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Jalgaon, Agatti, Pune, and Nanded. Additional routes from Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune to Sindhudurg, Jalgaon, Nanded, and Goa will be introduced in a phased manner.These new connections are poised to meet the growing demand for enhanced connectivity across the nation, fostering tourism, trade, and commerce. Fly91 said it aims to deliver affordable, punctual, safe, and convenient travel experiences for passengers.

The event in Delhi was attended by Fly91 Chairman Harsha Raghavan, Asangba Chuba Ao, Joint Secretary MoCA, along with officials from AAI and the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Fly91 is a pure play Regional Airline based in Goa, that will connect unserved and under served Tier II and III cities. Fly91 will operate a young fleet of ATR 72-600 aircraft.

Goa plans to introduce co-working spaces on Morjim and Ashwem beaches, aiming to attract European and high-spending tourists for an all-around experience beyond the beaches. The state government aims to offer nomad visas, inviting people to work and enjoy the beaches. The tourism department focuses on regenerative tourism, involving locals, culture, cuisine, festivals, temples, and churches.