A new airline is set to start in Uttar Pradesh in early 2026. Shankh Air, founded by Shravan Kumar Vishwakarma, aims to start operations in the coming months, first focusing on Uttar Pradesh and then expanding to other parts of India. The launch comes as the central government granted the go-ahead to three new airline companies in a bid to curb the growing duopoly in the Indian aviation sector.
Shankh Air plans to start operations in the second half of January, PTI reported. It aims to be a full-service carrier for middle-class travellers. According to Chairman Shravan Kumar Vishwakarma, the initial routes will connect Lucknow to Mumbai, Delhi and other metros. The airline will also operate flights to various destinations in Uttar Pradesh.
The initial fleet of Shankh Air will include three Airbus aircraft. Two more will join the fleet in the next one-and-a-half months. The base of operations will be the upcoming Noida International Airport in Jewar, with parking at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. Planned regional routes include Gorakhpur, Indore, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Chitrakoot, and Dehradun under the UDAN scheme.
The airline’s core objective is to make air travel accessible to first-time flyers and middle-class passengers, breaking the myth that flying is a luxury, Chairman Shravan Kumar Vishwakarma told PTI. He also told the outlet that the airline company could start international operations in 2028 or 2029, if all goes well. The organisation is funded by Shankh Trading, its parent company.
Shankh Air’s focus will be on excellent service and low fares. Its routes are set to enhance interstate connectivity. There are no bookings available as of now, but the routes are set to be launched in early 2026, pending approvals from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DCGA).
Shravan Kumar Vishwakarma told PTI that Shankh Air’s ticket prices would not be hiked during the festive seasons, but business-class fares would be slightly higher than competitors. He also explained that the aircraft have been acquired from external companies on lease and stated that his company has no funding constraints. The Shankh Air Chairman said that his organisation was not focused on the market shares of its competition, but on improving itself.
Vishwakarma initially used to drive an auto. Originally from a modest middle-class background, he tried a few small businesses, which did not take off as expected. His business journey gained momentum in 2014 as he ventured into the cement trade. This was followed by entry into the mining, TMT steel, and transport sectors. He owns a fleet of 400 trucks.
The Shankh Air Chairman said that the idea of entering the aviation sector came to him about four years ago. He set about understanding the documentation needed, how to get a No Objection Certificate and other intricacies. Vishwakarma said that he stuck with Shankh for the airline’s name as it was already the moniker of their trading company and also had a cultural association.
Apart from Shankh Air, the Centre had given the nod to two other airline companies- Al Hind Air and FlyExpress. Al Hind Air aims to promote itself as a regional commuter airline and is backed by the Kerala-based Alhind Group. FlyExpress, which made its name in courier and cargo operations, is a Hyderabad-based venture.
The approvals come in the wake of the IndiGo crisis, which left thousands of passengers across the country stranded. The unprecedented chaos led to an investigation by the Competition Commission of India and the rollback of the new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms restricting pilot duty hours. IndiGo had cited the FTDL norms as a reason for the crisis. IndiGo has said it is fully cooperating with a committee set up by the DGCA that is probing the matter.
