'The Wait Is Finally Over': DGCA Grants Air Operator's Certificate to New Airline Fly91

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Wednesday granted the Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) to Fly91, a new airline co-founded by former Kingfisher Airlines senior executive, Manoj Chako.

“The wait is finally over! 4yrs of hard work & dedication by FLY91 team has paid off. We are proud to have received air operating certificate from @DGCAIndia We thank Hon’ble Minister @JM_Scindia; @MoCA_GoI & DGCA for believing in our vision & supporting us through this journey,” the airline said in a post on social media platform on X.

The venture, operating under the brand name FLY91, received approval from the civil aviation ministry in April last year. Fly91 commenced its operations on March 2, with its inaugural flight from Manohar International Airport, Mopa in Goa to Bengaluru.

Notably, the airline has adopted ‘IC’ as its code, previously used by Indian Airlines until its merger with Air India in 2011. An AOC is a vital authorisation required for operators to conduct specified commercial air transport operations. Last week, Fly91 marked another milestone as it operated its first-ever ATR 72-600 flight from Mopa airport in Goa, receiving a ceremonial water cannon salute.

The airline has recently completed successful test flights to secure its AOC and is now set to target Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns across India. Despite the considerable growth in air traffic over the past decade, the founders remain steadfast in their vision to enable the next 100 million Indians to take flight, with a focus on regional towns in India, according to the airline.