Pic: Fly91 announces expansion of operations to the city.Hubballi: Air travellers in Hubballi are looking forward to improved regional connectivity following Fly91’s announcement to expand operations to the city. The airline said it signed an agreement with Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE), led by CEO Firoze Tarapore, to lease two brand-new ATR 72-600 aircraft. According to Fly91, the aircraft are scheduled to arrive later this month from ATR’s manufacturing facility in Toulouse, France. The airline also indicated that it will soon expand operations to Hubballi. Aviation sector observers said the induction of new aircraft could boost flight frequency and connectivity from Hubballi, benefiting business travellers and tourists. Airport officials said infrastructure is ready to support additional services, and passengers welcomed the announcement.Rupesh Kumar Sripad, director, Hubballi Airport, told TOI that officials of Fly91 communicated with the Airports Authority of India, expressing a wish to expand their operations to Hubballi. “They sought a slot to operate flights between Hubballi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, and we approved it. Officials are visiting Hubballi in the first week of February, and operations are expected to launch from March,” he stated.In an email communication, Manoj Chacko, chief executive officer and managing director, FLY91, said that the Indian pure-play regional airline FLY91 plans to expand its regional footprint in Southern and Central India, namely to destinations like Hubballi, Vijayawada and Rajahmundry (Andhra Pradesh); Nanded (Maharashtra); and Dabolim (Goa), following the leasing of 2 ATR 72-600 turboprop aircraft from Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE), a UAE-headquartered global aviation services provider. “The 2 brand-new aircraft are scheduled for delivery later this month from ATR’s manufacturing facility in Toulouse, France. Following induction, Fly91 will enhance capacity, increase frequencies across its existing routes, and expand operations to the said cities. With the addition of these aircraft, FLY91’s fleet strength will increase to 6. The expansion aligns with the airline’s strategy to deepen connectivity across India’s tier-2 and tier-3 cities,” he explained.Welcoming the announcement, Sunil Nalavade, member, Airport Advisory Committee, Hubballi, said that there is demand for more flights in North Karnataka, and the operation of new flights will boost the economy of the region.Another flight to HyderabadSripad informed that IndiGo, which is currently operating flights from Hubballi to Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Pune, has sought a slot for the operation of another flight between Hyderabad and Hubballi, and the airport has approved it. “However, they have not yet mentioned the date of commencement of the operation,” he added.
