Emerging airlines meet civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu amid IndiGo market pressure

Emerging airlines gain momentum amid IndiGo

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu met teams from three emerging domestic carriers this week, amid growing concerns over the market dominance of budget airline IndiGo following recent disruptions.

"Over the last one week, pleased to have met teams from new airlines aspiring to take wings in Indian skies—Shankh Air, Al Hind Air and FlyExpress," Kinjarapu said in a social media post.

Over the last one week, pleased to have met teams from new airlines aspiring to take wings in Indian skies—Shankh Air, Al Hind Air and FlyExpress. While Shankh Air has already got the NOC from Ministry, Al Hind Air and FlyExpress have received their NOCs in this week. It has… pic.twitter.com/oLWXqBfSFU

— Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu (@RamMNK) December 23, 2025

Alhind Air, part of Kerala’s Alhind Group, and Hyderabad-based courier and cargo services company Fly Express have received their No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) this week, the minister added. Shankh Air, which aims to connect major cities in Uttar Pradesh—including Lucknow, Varanasi, Agra, and Gorakhpur—at affordable rates, has also secured its NOC.

Naidu highlighted that the government is actively encouraging new airlines to enter what is among the fastest-growing aviation markets in the world. "Schemes like UDAN have enabled smaller carriers like Star Air, India One Air, Fly91, among others, to play an important role in the regional connectivity within the country, and there is more scope for further growth," he said.

IndiGo’s dominance came under scrutiny earlier this month after the airline struggled to comply with new crew-rostering regulations, leaving lakhs of travellers stranded nationwide. The new rules require pilots and cabin crew to have longer rest periods, including 48-hour weekly breaks instead of 36 hours, and stricter limits on night landings. The airline reportedly failed to adjust staffing accordingly, grounding more than half its fleet.

IndiGo currently commands over 60% of the operational market share in India, while the Tata-run Air India Group holds around 25%, followed by Akasa Air and SpiceJet. The Competition Commission of India is probing IndiGo under anti-trust rules.