Al Hind Air

Last updated

alhind Air
Alhind air logo.png
Hubs Cochin International Airport
Destinations Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode [1]
Parent company Alhind Group of Companies
Headquarters Kozhikode [1]
Key peopleReena Abdul Rahiman (CEO) [1]
Website https://www.alhindair.com/

Al Hind Air is an Indian regional airline from Kerala. It received no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Ministry of Civil Aviation in December 2025 under UDAN scheme to enhance regional connectivity. [2] [3] Operations are expected to begin later in 2026, after obtaining the final Air Operator Certificate (AOC). It will initially operate as a regional commuter carrier, focusing on domestic routes. [4]

Contents

As of late 2025, the civil aviation sector in India consists of nine operational scheduled domestic airlines. [5]

AlHind Group

AlHind Group is a Kerala-based conglomerate with significant presence in the UAE. It was founded and promoted by Mohammed Haris T who is a veteran in travel and tourism sector especially Haj pilgrimage. Established in the early 1990s, it expanded to the Middle East in 1995 and launched a significant B2B portal in 2014. [4]

Pre-Launch Challenges

Despite securing its NOC in December 2025, Alhind Air’s transition from a travel conglomerate to a commercial airline is currently stalled by aircraft acquisition and financing disputes. Due to prolonged delays between the initial plan and the NOC issuance, holding costs skyrocketed. [6]

Fleet Constraints

Initial reports suggest that this airline carrier will operate ATR 72-600 aircraft from Kochi. [7] [8] Alhind Air’s launch has been stalled by a preference for purchasing three pre-owned ATR 72 turboprops (4–5 years old) aircraft instead of leasing to lower long-term costs, which requires massive upfront capital that lenders are currently hesitant to provide. [6] [9]

Financial Difficulties

Just days after receiving its NOC from the government, reports emerged that Alhind Air has placed its staff on indefinite unpaid leave due to severe financial strain. Citing the Financial Express, Outlook Business reported that approximately 120 employees have been instructed not to report for duty. The airline revealed monthly expenditures of roughly ₹2 crore (primarily salaries) without any incoming revenue, leading to "significant financial losses." [6] [10]

Regulatory Requirements

For begin the flight operations, the airline must still complete aircraft induction, crew training and regulatory "proving flights" — a process that the company claims to be "prolonged" and "challenging." [6] [10]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Lalitha, S. (26 December 2025). "New airlines that got green signal from Centre will struggle to offer competition, say experts". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  2. ↑ Mukherjee, Anubhav (25 December 2025). "India to get 3 new airlines soon - Shankh Air, Al Hind Air and FlyExpress — Key things to know about them". mint. Retrieved 26 December 2025.
  3. ↑ "Al Hind Air, FlyExpress, Shankh Air to enter Indian skies—can they dent IndiGo, Air India's dominance?". The Financial Express. 25 December 2025. Retrieved 26 December 2025.
  4. 1 2 "Who owns AlHind group? UAE's biggest pilgrimage service player all set to start a new domestic airline in India". The Week. 26 December 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  5. ↑ "Al Hind Air, FlyExpress get NOCs; Shankh Air targets Q1 2026 launch as govt pushes more competition". The Telegraph. Press Trust of India. 24 December 2025. Retrieved 26 December 2025. At present, India has nine operational scheduled domestic airlines. Apart from IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express and state-owned Alliance Air, other carriers include Akasa Air, SpiceJet, Star Air, Fly91 and IndiaOne Air, according to the latest Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) data.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Akbar Merchant (30 December 2025). "Aircraft acquisition, funding delays stall Alhind Air launch". The Financial Express. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  7. ↑ "Will new airlines like Shankh Air, Al Hind Air, FlyExpress help break up the IndiGo-Air India duopoly?- The Week". www.theweek.in.
  8. ↑ "After IndiGo crisis, govt gives nod to 3 new airlines: Al Hind Air, FlyExpress and Shankh Air". Hindustan Times. 24 December 2025. Retrieved 26 December 2025.
  9. ↑ Vasudha Mukherjee (26 December 2025). "Why Al Hind Air, FlyExpress NOC nod isn't enough to boost competition". www.forbesindia.com. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  10. 1 2 "Kochi's Alhind Air Puts Staff on Unpaid Leave Days After Securing NOC: Here's Why". Outlook Business. 27 December 2025. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.