South India is experiencing a boom in aviation with the launch of two new airlines in less than six months span. Just when Air Kerala is all set to launch commercial operations, another company, travel-service major Al Hind Group has jumped in the fray.

In a major milestone, the Al Hind Group has received an approval to start commercial operations from the ministry of civil aviation. Aimed with this approval, the Group plans to commence commercial operations towards the end of this year. The airline will be called Al Hind airline. However, prior to launch, the Group has to obtain an Air Operators Certificate (AOC) from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The group has already started moving towards obtaining its third and final nod from the authorities before commercial launch.

The founder/owners and airline management is currently in talks with ATR along with Boeing and Airbus for fleet acquisition. However as per sources, it is said that the airline has already inked a deal with ATR and will commence its operations with a fleet of three ATR-72 turboprops.

To begin with, Al Hind Air will focus on South Indian cities – Kochi, Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram and Chennai with plans to expand the operations as the fleet size increases.

The Al Hind Group, parent company of Al Hind airlines has planned an initial investment of INR 200 crore to INR 500 crore for this project. This development marks a significant step toward the group's entry into India's rapidly expanding aviation sector

Alhind Group is a major player in the travel and tourism industry, both in India and internationally. The Group serves as a General Sales Agent (GSA) for several airlines with a turnover exceeding INR 20,000 crore and with over 130 offices across India and abroad. The launch of this airline marks a significant step toward the group's entry into India's growing aviation sector.