shankh air 737
Shankh Air aims to become Uttar Pradesh’s first scheduled carrier. It plans to establish its primary hub at the upcoming Noida International Airport (NIA) in Jewar. The airline is acquiring its No Objection Certification (NOC) from the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Today, it was granted this permission and can now approach India’s DGCA for an airline license.
“Shankh Air’s plan to hub at least three of the proposed Boeing 737-800NG aircraft in Noida. Shankh Air would like to start operating in multiple locations as discussed with NIA at length on creating new city pairs,” Carrier’s Chairman Sharvan Kumar Vishwakarma said.
Founded in 2023, Shankh Air will be the first scheduled airline to launch from Uttar Pradesh. According to the airline’s website, hubs in Lucknow and Noida will facilitate connections to all major Indian cities. The site also has a splash page inviting people to apply for jobs.
The airline is “getting ready for its launch in the latter part of 2024.”
Shankh Air aims to be a full-service carrier with two-class service. It also aims to offer intra- and inter-state flights.
India’s aviation market will likely be the fastest growing for many years. That’s the good news. The bad news is that everyone knows this, and the market is among the most competitive worldwide. The timing of the venture is not optimal in the way Akasa’s was.
Whereas Akasa was able to secure MAXs on favorable terms with excellent delivery slots, Shankh Air is looking for 737NGs as these aircraft are becoming more challenging to source. Word salads about being customer-centric, “soaring to new heights, and delivering an unparalleled experience to passengers” don’t mean anything without the people and airplanes.
We wish the airline’s team well with their venture. However, as our model demonstrates, this has to be one of the most demanding businesses to start in an already tough market.
