Fly91, Manoj Chacko's dream airline all set to take off

Nedumaran, the character Suriya portrayed in 2020 Tamil film 'Soorarai Pottru' cannot be easily forgotten. The movie depicted the struggles of an ordinary young man to launch an airline after retiring from the Indian Air Force.

The man had a dream: an airline affordable for even ordinary people.

The movie reflects the circumstances that prevailed around 2003. Twenty years later, one more person is entering the aviation sector with the same confidence and courage of Nedumaran.

"Dreaming is good, and it requires manifold effort to make it materialise." These are the words of Manoj Chacko who is preparing to take his dream to the Indian skies.

His dream is to fly to even small Indian towns. Manoj Chacko reveals his dream, Fly91, is all set to take wings. People should fly into small towns across the country. That's what Manoj Chacko dreams about.

Believe it or not, he has floated Fly91 with a fleet of small aircraft. The airline received the central government's no-objection certificate on April 25.

Manoj Chacko, the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Fly91, has a Kerala connection as well.

He opened up to 'Manorama Premium' about his project and dreams.

Your dream will take off within a few months. When did you start thinking about the project? How was its beginning?

I have been toying with the idea of connecting all parts of India by air for a long time. I have been thinking about its possibilities for more than 10 years. I had the desire ever since I joined (the now-defunct) Kingfisher Airlines. Kingfisher connected small Indian cities. Flights connecting small cities like Hubballi, Mysuru, Kolhapur, Sholapur, Thoothukudi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, etc., with each other are very few. The lack of connectivity between small cities has caused many difficulties.

Bigger aircraft such as A320 and Boeing 737 cannot operate to such cities. Only international airports have the facility to handle such aircraft. Several airports in India are remaining unused since there are no smaller aircraft. Hence, the 76-seat aircraft will be a relief and affordable to flyers. People normally check two aspects: travel time and affordability. If people realise that these two could be possible by using our service, there will be a demand. But we don't have an alternative. And it's here that Fly91 becomes relevant.

Naming an enterprise is tough. How did you get this name? What does Fly91 mean?

Since this project is for the country, I felt that the name should have a connection with the nation. Since 91 is our country code, we added it to the name. The name Fly91 is derived from the thought that the mission is to make India capable of flying. Much research has gone into it and brand gurus were also consulted. Though there were several names under consideration, Fly91 was selected due to various reasons.

You have been in the aviation sector for 30 years. You were the CEO and Vice President of Kingfisher Airlines. What made you think of launching an initiative in the same sector?

I am not doing this for fame or profit. I know this sector well. I have worked in all three different but allied sectors. In airlines, I worked with Emirates and Kingfisher. In the travel agency sector, I was the international head of American Express. I was the India CEO of SOTC. I was with WNS Global Service for five years. My responsibility was to rank travel segments internationally. It gave me an opportunity to be part of major global airline travel agencies. I travelled extensively as part of my work. And I have a grasp of this vertical.

After a particular age, what we did for the country becomes more important than what we have made. If asked why an airline, the answer is I have vast experience. I also know what is needed. An airline startup is not a dream that could be achieved easily. Moreover, it requires huge capital. An airline is not easy for someone like me. I don't have such deep pockets. But I am a professional. The dream is coming true since we received professional funding also.

Fly91 received the no-objection certificate on April 25. How was the experience? Was it difficult to get the certificate?

No, there was no difficulty. We should have an understanding of what we have done. There is nothing to worry about if the filings are done properly. This is a regulated industry and hence documentation is important. We did everything they demanded in a time-bound manner. The entire process was completed in three-and-a-half months. It doubled my self-confidence.

An airline is not one that should be floated on a whim. One should have a clear understanding, knowledge, and experience. What would be the result if I perform a cardiac surgery only because I am interested in doing it? The doctors conduct the surgery based on their experience. The airline operation is also similar. Experience matters. Now, submitting the application and the documentation process are all done online. It helps in saving time. But everything should be proper.

Who is your role model and why?

All entrepreneurs who succeeded in the airline sector are my role models. Among them, three are my favourites. Rahul Bhatia and Rakesh Gangwal, the founders of IndiGo. Their determination requires special mention. It was their determination that made IndiGo number one in India. The third person is Adel Abdullah Ali, the CEO of Air Arabia. Air Arabia is one of the best services in the Middle East.

There is another person I hold above all these people: David Neeleman. He is the chief of JetBlue, a major US airline. He also founded five other airlines: Morris Air, West Jet, Azul Airlines — the biggest in Brazil — and Breeze Airways.

I draw energy from these men. They proved that we can win if we have a sound understanding of the industry. Didn't Vinay Dube introduce Akasa Airline? It is successfully operating. It is successful because he has a sound understanding of the vertical.

Akasa Air has "It's your sky" as its tagline, meaning an ordinary man could also afford to fly. How different is Fly91 from Akasa?

There are several differences. We are primarily targeting destinations where others are not operating. We are looking at connectivity between small cities and towns. It is impossible for big aircraft to connect the smaller cities since these places do not have the necessary infrastructure. Hence we decided that it should be us who would connect the small cities. We will also try to collaborate with existing airways. We are not trying to compete. For instance, aircraft are not available to connect a Bengaluru-Kolkata flight with Kolhapur in Maharashtra. We are open to providing connectivity, in collaboration with another airline. We will be using advanced technology. Technology, specifically, application programming interface provides ease of travel. It will reach all travel agencies across the country. Anyone can avail of Fly91 service at any time.

How do you view Tata Group taking over Air India?

I don't think it is a wrong decision, because the Tata Group is strong, professional, and has 100 years of experience in the country. The acquisition will strengthen the Indian aviation sector.

Can we expect Fly91 schedules to Kerala soon? The state's fifth airport will be ready soon. People from all over south India visit Sabarimala. Do you see this as an opportunity?

We haven't considered operating services to Kerala. Currently, big aircraft are operating in Kerala. Small airports need to develop more. For example, if there are several enquiries regarding flights to Salem from Kannur, we will consider operating on that route. We are considering it for the next phase. To begin with, we have to develop the situation that needs flights to the cities. Later, based on the number of enquiries, we will prepare to operate on the route which has much demand.

One of your biggest dreams is nearing fruition. What is next?

I have a clear understanding of what I will do. I have a plan for the next five years. My biggest dream is to implement the plan. Several aircraft in the next three to five years, schedules across India, and more importantly, make the company profitable. We should be able to provide a memorable experience to our customers. These are all my dreams about Fly91. The next dream is to implement these plans.

Funding is a major challenge for a startup. How did you find the fund?

Definitely. The co-founder is Convergent Finance, a major in the private equity finance sector. It is Fly91's anchor investor as well. Additionally, the company has received some individual funding also. Aviation is different from other sectors and funding is crucial to keep going. Several aviation startups failed because of inadequate planning and funding. We have separate plans to look into it.

What changes are you expecting in the aviation sector in the next five years?

India is growing daily. Major changes are visible even at the macroeconomic level. There won't be any crisis in the country for the next 10 years. The change will reflect in the market too with the manufacturing sector becoming more active during this period. This opens up an opportunity for the travel sector. We plan to use these opportunities to the optimum.

The government is rolling out premium train services like Vande Bharat Express. There is also talk about bullet trains. Won't it attract more people to trains?

I feel that the aviation sector will gain from rail and road developments. The Eurostar takes three hours to reach London from Paris. Amtrak provides comfortable travel between New York and Washington. China has bullet trains from Beijing to Shanghai every 15 minutes. The point is, air services, too, are more in these places. For people, it offers a choice to select the comfortable mode of transport. These are complementary to each other. It's why we are not competing with anyone. Our aim is to provide ease of travel.

What about your family?

I am from Thrissur but can't say I am totally from there. My parents were in Goa and I was born there. My father's house is at Kunnamkulam and my mother's house is at Wadakkancherry. Some of our relatives are in Kerala. My family comprises a wife and a daughter. I was in Chennai and Delhi as part of my work. I am planning to return to Goa because Fly91 will be based there.

Do you have a message for the young generation, specifically entrepreneurs?

Go to the market with a sound business model. Don't launch a startup thinking it will be transform into a unicorn company. There is only one Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, and Baiju Raveendran in the world. They all have suffered several setbacks to reach where they are now. We should have a clear plan, thought and put in lots of effort. We should respect money and those who give money. Always remember it has to be repaid.

Dreaming is good, and it requires manifold effort to make it materialise.