SOURCE: ANI
Fly91, a regional airline headquartered in Goa, has received its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) under Ministry of Civil Aviation, marking a significant milestone in the airline’s journey.
The AOC issuance signifies the completion of all regulatory and compliance requirements mandated by the DGCA, allowing FLY91 to commence its commercial operations. Under the supervision of the country’s aviation regulator, FLY91 successfully conducted proving flights as part of the AOC process.
Expressing his gratitude, Manoj Chacko, MD and CEO of FLY91, acknowledged the collective effort of the team, stating, “This is a significant milestone for each and every member of FLY91, and I wish to place on record the commitment, dedication, meticulous planning, and exemplary collaboration that ensured that we achieved this milestone in record time.” FLY91 recently welcomed its first ATR 72-600, one of the two aircraft leased from Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, to its fleet.
First Goa home base
These aircraft will be stationed at the Manohar International Airport, Mopa in Goa, making FLY91 the first Indian airline to utilize Goa as its home base.
Chacko further emphasized, “We are extremely thankful to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the DGCA for their direction, proactive support, and efficiency throughout the AOC process. We now look forward to commencing the sale of tickets leading to the start of commercial operations soon.” With its eyes set on enhancing connectivity across India’s tier 2 and tier 3 towns, FLY91 has been allocated its first set of routes under the government’s Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) UDAN.
Connecting tier 1 and tier 2 cities
These routes, allotted under UDAN 5.0, will witness FLY91 connecting cities like Sindhudurg, Jalgaon, Nanded in Maharashtra, and Agatti in Lakshadweep, alongside other prominent business and leisure destinations such as Bengaluru, Goa, Hyderabad, and Pune.
The regional airline, operating under the code IC, aims to serve as a catalyst for connectivity, bridging the gap between smaller towns and major urban centers across India. With the AOC in hand and aircraft at the ready, FLY91 is poised to embark on its journey towards transforming India’s regional aviation landscape.
AOC is an authorisation that is must for an operator to carry out specified commercial air transport operations.