AlHind Group, which has established its strong and long presence in UAE, is now all set to launch a new domestic airline in India. The carrier has received preliminary approval from the Civil Aviation Ministry to commence operations. The travel, tourism and mobility giant, which was founded in the early 1990s, will start operating ‘Al-Hind Air’ in India and also plans to launch its international services after meeting the necessary norms.
Will start with domestic flights, international service will start for Gulf countries as soon as the fleet of 20 aircraft is ready
The airline plans to initially fly with three aircraft. As per rules, the airline will start international operations as soon as it has a fleet of 20 aircraft. The group’s first international destination is expected to be the UAE. Al-Hind Air on Wednesday joined two airlines that have been granted a “No-Objection Certificate” (NOC) by the Indian Civil Aviation Ministry. The move comes just weeks after a major airline crisis that led to thousands of flights being canceled and passengers facing huge inconvenience both in India and abroad.
Amidst the crisis of thousands of passengers being stranded and flights being cancelled, the government is promoting new airlines.
During the recent crisis, some UAE travelers faced delays of up to 10 hours. In view of this situation, the government is working to encourage more competition in the domestic airline market so that passengers can get better options. The entry of Al-Hind Air into the market is considered to be a part of this strategy.
The journey from a small travel agency in Kerala to becoming a huge network with more than 130 branches across the world
Al-Hind was started in 1992 as ‘Al-Hind Tours & Travels’ in the South Indian state of Kerala, engaged in travel management, cargo services and hospitality support. It began its operations in the UAE and other Middle Eastern countries in 1995. Founded by Director Mohammed Haris and MD P.V. Under Valsaz’s leadership, the company rapidly grew into a large global network, with more than 130 branches worldwide today. Today the group has interests in a number of industries including hospitality, charter services, money exchange and IT and travel solutions.
Special plan with low fares and business class facilities to gift cheap air travel to expatriates
The company was laying the groundwork for this airline for the last several years. The airline will commence operations with a fleet of ATR 72-600 model aircraft. At the same time, Airbus A320 will be operated for Middle East routes, which will also have business class facilities. The company aims to keep ticket prices among the lowest in the market to serve expatriates living in the UAE. To keep costs under control, the company is working on a strategy to hire only a minimum number of employees.
The airline’s full focus will be on increasing connectivity along with connecting major cities of South India and Goa.
According to the information given by the airline, the flights will be operated mainly to Indian states like Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Goa. It is noteworthy that apart from providing travel services to residents and expatriates, Al-Hind also acts as General Sales Agent (GSA) for major Indian airlines. This means they act as an airline’s local commercial representative, handling sales, marketing and customer-facing activities, giving them a deep understanding of the aviation market.
