New airlines Al Hind Air, FlyExpress set to take off in 2026
India's aviation scene is getting a shake-up—Al Hind Air and FlyExpress just got the green light from the government to launch next year.
This move comes after recent IndiGo disruptions and aims to make flying more competitive (and hopefully, more affordable) for everyone.
What's new with these airlines?
Al Hind Air, backed by Kerala's Alhind Group, will be based in Kochi and fly ATR 72-600s across South India. They've already teamed up with Cochin International Airport.
Meanwhile, FlyExpress is expected to focus on regional connectivity, potentially leveraging the UDAN scheme, to connect smaller cities—think more options for regional travel alongside players like Star Air and Fly91.
Why does it matter?
With most flights dominated by just a couple of big names, these new entrants could finally break up the duopoly in Indian skies.
Plus, as more airlines compete (alongside Akasa Air and others), fares on popular routes like Dubai-Mumbai/Delhi are expected to stay reasonable—currently around AED 350-450 if you book a few weeks ahead.