• Source:JND

Shakh Airlines: Months after the central government gave its nod to three new airlines in India, following a huge Indigo operational crisis, one of the three new companies, Shankh Airlines, is set to begin services. Company's Chairman, Shravan Kumar Vishwakarma, on Tuesday, announced that Shankh Airlines will begin flight operations from January 2026.

Shankh Airline To Operate In Uttar Pradesh In First Phase

While international service will begin in 2028 or 2029, the company plans to provide services across Uttar Pradesh in its first phase. “At present, the fleet size is limited, but as it grows, we will cover the entire country,” the Chairman told PTI.

The 35-year-old entrepreneur said Shankh Airlines' core objective is to make air travel accessible to middle-class passengers and first-time flyers, and to break the perception that flying is a luxury. “An aircraft is just a means of transport, like a bus or a tempo. It should not be seen as something exclusive,” he said.

The Chairman said that the idea of getting into aviation came to his mind nearly 4 years ago, and he has been preparing for it since then.

“Once the thought struck me, I began understanding the process, how to get the NOC, what are the rules and how the system works. What started as an idea four years ago has now taken shape,” he said.

Vishwakarma said he had little formal education and was not interested in studies. “I drove autos with friends and tried several small businesses, but most of them failed,” he shared. His business finally took off in 2014 when he entered the cement trade.

‘Today, we have a fleet of over 400 trucks,' he said, describing the growth as gradual and organic. “There was no grand planning. Things evolved with time.” “The aircraft have been acquired on lease and finance from external companies. We have no funding constraints,” he said, adding the airline was not focused on competitors' market shares.

What Shankh Airline Said On Fares

“We are not concerned about who controls what. Our focus is on improving ourselves.” On fares, Vishwakarma said ticket prices would not be increased during festival seasons, though business-class fares would be priced higher than competitors. He also said the airline would generate employment opportunities for youth.

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Further advising people to work hard and grow in life without caring about anyone, Vishwakarma said, “The first thing they should stop worrying about is what people will say. If someone who once drove a tempo can run an airline, others can also move ahead. The difference is only in mindset.”

 

With Inputs from PTI


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