FLY91 Orders 40 ATR 72-600 Aircraft in $1 Billion Deal

Indian regional carrier FLY91 has placed a firm order for 40 ATR 72-600 turboprop aircraft, marking the manufacturer’s largest firm order in nearly a decade and signaling a major expansion for the Startups airline.

Announced on September 3, 2026, during a signing ceremony in New Delhi, the agreement is valued at approximately $1 billion, according to reporting by Mint. The acquisition will facilitate a ten-fold fleet expansion for FLY91, which currently operates six ATR 72-600s. The Orders aligns with the Indian government’s UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme, a national initiative designed to enhance air connectivity to underserved Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.

Delivery schedule and fleet growth

FLY91, legally incorporated as Just Udo Aviation Private Limited, commenced commercial flight operations in March 2024. The Airlines currently operates approximately 280 weekly flights across 12 cities in India. With the addition of the 40 newly ordered airframes, the carrier projects its total fleet will exceed 60 aircraft in the coming years.

According to ch-aviation, Deliveries of the new ATR 72-600s are scheduled to begin in late 2027 and continue through 2032. To support this expansion, FLY91 is currently raising Rs 250 crore in funding, with 25 percent of the round already completed.

“FLY91 was built on a singular conviction: India needs a focused, dedicated regional aviation network that connects emerging cities directly and efficiently. We have grown deliberately and consistently since our inception and this 40-aircraft order is the catalyst for our next phase of expansion.”

The statement from FLY91 Founder, Managing Director, and Chief Executive Officer Manoj Chacko emphasized that the ATR 72-600 provides the ideal operating economics for the airline’s network.

ATR market position and regional strategy

The 40-aircraft commitment represents the largest global order by a regional airline for ATR, a joint venture between Airbus and Leonardo. The deal brings ATR’s total order intake for 2026 to 54 aircraft, a figure that already exceeds the manufacturer’s net orders for the entirety of 2025, according to AviTrader Aviation News.

ATR Chief Executive Officer Nathalie Tarnaud Laude noted that the expansion aligns closely with the Indian government’s ambition to strengthen regional connectivity. She stated that the aircraft enables airlines to offer affordable fares while connecting passengers to economic opportunities across the country.

Union Minister of Civil Aviation Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu echoed this sentiment during the signing ceremony. “Regional connectivity is a fundamental pillar of India’s aviation growth story,” he stated, adding that bridging smaller cities with major economic hubs remains a national priority.

Operational support and crew recruitment

The firm order builds upon an existing relationship between the two companies. On May 30, 2024, FLY91 and ATR signed a Global Maintenance Agreement (GMA) to provide pay-by-the-hour support for the airline’s initial fleet.

As the carrier prepares for its delivery pipeline, it has actively expanded its flight crew roster. In August 2026, NDTV Profit reported that former Indian Air Force Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman transitioned to commercial aviation and joined FLY91 as a pilot.

AirPro News analysis

We view this $1 billion order as a critical validation of the ATR 72-600 platform in high-density, price-sensitive markets. While the 70-seat turboprop sector has seen sluggish order activity globally in recent years, India’s state-subsidized UDAN scheme creates a uniquely favorable environment for regional operators. By securing a 40-aircraft pipeline, FLY91 is positioning itself to dominate secondary and tertiary routes that are economically unviable for the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX fleets operated by larger Indian carriers like IndiGo and Air India. Executing a ten-fold fleet expansion will test FLY91’s ability to scale its maintenance infrastructure and pilot training programs concurrently.

Sources: ATR, FLY91