Spearheaded and developed by Sharvan Kumar Vishwakarma, Shankh AIr will be a new addition to the Indian-operated airlines. In the middle of this year, the company’s chairman met Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, the Union minister of civil aviation. He shared his vision for the direction and development of this start-up airline. Shankh Air is the pioneer airline to launch from Uttar Pradesh.
According to the company’s website, Shankh Air will be the first scheduled Airline to launch in Uttar Pradesh. With its hub in Lucknow and Noida, it aims to connect significant inter and intra-state routes. Moreover, it will focus on the cities that have high demand but operate on limited direct flight options.
The Airline has gained a green flag from the Union Aviation Ministry and has received the No Objection Certificate(NOC) for three years. However, it will also need the approval of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) before jetting off into the sky.
The Aviation Ministry approval letter states that “The company is further directed to comply with relevant provisions and regulations of FDI, SEBI, etc., as well as other applicable rules and regulations in this regard.”
Shankh Air’s maiden flight will depart from Uttar Pradesh. The Airline will start operating using the modern Boeing 737-800NG aircraft.
The Sharks of Indian Sky
The launch of Shankh Airlines is a great step towards managing the needs of Indian Airlines. The question that everyone is thinking about is where this new Airline will position itself. Over 60% of the Indian aviation market is dominated by India’s largest Airline, IndiGo. The second largest Airline, Air India, plans to take over Vistara.
It is currently co-owned by Tata Group and Singapore Airlines. Moreover, its ventures don’t end here; Air India also plans to acquire AirAsia India. And they will launch Air India Express, a low-cost subsidiary for the economic class.
Every coin has two sides, with these airline giants gaining much business, the smaller players like Go Airlines India Ltd, plan to cease their operations in May because of financial difficulties. Additionally, SpiceJet also has mounted financial challenges in the last five years of loss. Its market share has fell from 5.6% in January 2023 to just 2.3% by August.
So, the question of Shankh Airlines’ sustainability in this market uncertainty remains a matter of concern. While it seems a promising project.
The Growing Aviation Market in India
Let’s take our eyes on the aviation market statistics of India:
- India’s aviation market is the 3rd largest domestic aviation market in the world, with over 376 million passengers.
- There has been a steady growth in air passenger traffic, with an average of 15% annual growth.
- The domestic traffic is expected to reach between 161 and 164 million passengers, raising the traffic by 6-8% in the current fiscal year.
- The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) reported on September 13 that domestic air traffic increased by 5.7% in August compared to the previous year, totalling 1.31 crore passengers.
- CAPA India forecasts a global traffic rise of 9% to 11%, reaching between 75 and 78 million passengers by March 2025.
- IndiGo holds a dominant share of approximately 63% of the national aviation market.
- Air India, the second-largest Airline, is growing rapidly and plans to acquire Vistara, currently co-owned by Singapore Airlines and Tata Group, by the end of 2025 after receiving antitrust clearance.
- Air India is also expanding its fleet by purchasing AirAsia India and merging it with its low-cost subsidiary, Air India Express.
- SpiceJet’s market share has been declining steadily, falling from 5.6% in January 2023 to 2.3% in August 2024.
- New competitors, including Akasa Air and Fly91, have entered the market despite the dominance of established players.
The Bottom Line:
The first scheduled Indian Airline to launch from Uttar Pradesh, Shankh Air plans to bring forth a new era of Airline. With modern Boeing 737-800NG aircraft and plans to serve the demand areas, it aims to raise the Airline standards with high-quality, efficient, and overall improved air service.
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