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{{Short description|Regional airline in India}}
{{Short description|Defunct Indian regional airline}}
{{Unreliable sources|date=August 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2025}}
{{Infobox airline
{{Infobox airline
| airline = FlyBig
| airline = flybig
| logo = Flybig.png
| logo = FlyBig_Logo.svg
| logo_size = 250px
| logo_size = 250px
| fleet_size = 1
| fleet_size = 4
| destinations = 8
| destinations = 24
| IATA = S9 <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.avcodes.co.uk/details.asp?ID=29431|title=The Aviation Codes Website - Airline Codes Full Details|website=www.avcodes.co.uk}}</ref>
| IATA = S9<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.avcodes.co.uk/details.asp?ID=29431|title=The Aviation Codes Website - Airline Codes Full Details|website=www.avcodes.co.uk}}</ref>
| ICAO = FLG
| ICAO = FLG
| callsign = KRIS
| callsign = KRIS
| parent = Big Charter
| parent = Big Charter Private Limited
| founded = 2020
| founded = 2020
| commenced = {{Start date|df=yes|2020|12|21}}
| commenced = {{start date and age|2020|12|21|df=yes}}
| ceased = {{start date and age|2025|12|13|df=yes}}
| headquarters = [[Gurugram]], [[Haryana]], [[India]]
| headquarters = [[Gurugram]], [[Haryana]], [[India]]
| key_people = Sanjay Mandavia <br /> Srinivas Rao (CEO) <ref>{{cite web|url=https://connectedaviationtoday.com/executive-spotlight-ceo-flybig-highlights-indias-domestic-aviation-opportunities/#.X5LofC17FE4 |title=Executive Spotlight: CEO of flybig Highlights India's Domestic Aviation Opportunities |publisher= Connected Aviation Today |date=25 August 2020 |access-date= 23 October 2020}}</ref>
| key_people = Captain Sanjay Mandavia (CMD) <br /> Chander Bahadur (Head Financial Intelligence and Strategies)
| founder = Captain Sanjay Mandavia
| aoc =  
| aoc =  
| hubs = [[Indore Airport]]
| hubs =  
| secondary_hubs =  
| secondary_hubs =  
| focus_cities =  
| focus_cities =  
Line 21: Line 25:
| lounge =  
| lounge =  
| alliance =  
| alliance =  
| num_employees =  
| num_employees = 500
| website = {{URL|https://flybig.in/|flybig.in}}
| website = {{Official URL}}
}}
}}
'''FlyBig''' is a [[regional airline]] in based in [[Indore]], [[Madhya Pradesh]], [[India]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Airline and Location Code Search|url=https://www.iata.org/en/publications/directories/code-search/|access-date=2021-01-02|website=www.iata.org|language=en}}</ref> It is promoted by [[Gurugram]]-based Big Charter Private Limited. The airline began operations in December 2020 and is focused on connecting [[Classification of Indian cities|tier-2 cities]] within India. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/78835806.cms |title=FlyBig likely to start ops from Raja Bhoj by year-end |work=[[The Times of India]] |date=24 October 2020 |access-date= 25 October 2020}}</ref>
 
'''flybig''' was an [[India|Indian]] [[regional airline]] based in [[Gurgaon|Gurugram]], [[Haryana]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Airline and Location Code Search|url=https://www.iata.org/en/publications/directories/code-search/|access-date=2 January 2021|website=www.iata.org|language=en}}</ref> It was promoted by Gurugram-based Big Charter Private Limited. The airline began operations in December 2020 and focused on connecting [[Classification of Indian cities|tier-2 cities]] within India.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/78835806.cms |title=flyBig likely to start ops from Raja Bhoj by year-end |work=[[The Times of India]] |date=24 October 2020 |access-date= 25 October 2020}}</ref> Prior to ceasing operations the airline operated in north and northwest India.<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 July 2023 |title=FlyBig has changed its order with De Havilland for a more economical option: Sanjay Mandavia |url=https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/flybig-has-changed-its-order-with-de-havilland-for-a-more-economical-option-sanjay-mandavia-10914771.html |access-date=16 August 2023 |website=Moneycontrol |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=3 June 2023 |title=FlyBig to launch Patna-Kol flight |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/flybig-to-launch-patna-kol-flight/articleshow/100715619.cms?from=mdr |access-date=16 August 2023 |website=The Times of India}}</ref><ref name="Network Expansion">{{cite news|last=Jain|first=Nitin|title=Ludhiana gets Dehradun, Delhi air link from this week|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/ludhiana-gets-dehradun-delhi-air-link-from-this-week-541310|work=[[The Tribune (India)|The Tribune]]|date=4 September 2023|access-date=6 September 2023|language=en}}</ref>


==History==
==History==
The company has received a [[No Objection Certificate]] from the [[Ministry of Civil Aviation (India)|Ministry of Civil Aviation]] and received its [[Air Operator's Certificate]] (AoC) on 14 December 2020. It began operations with a single [[ATR-72-500]].<ref name="BM1">{{cite web|url=https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/others/hals-dornier-is-all-set-to-get-new-wings-flybig-wings/articleshow/77839769.cms |title=HAL's Dornier is all set to get new wings, Flybig wings |publisher=[[Bangalore Mirror]] |date=31 August 2020 |access-date= 23 October 2020}}</ref> The company's focus is to serve Tier-2 cities and it aims to build a fleet of more [[ATR-72]]s and [[Hindustan Aeronautics Limited|HAL]] manufactured [[Dornier 228]] aircraft and eventually expand to a fleet of 20.<ref name="MC1">{{cite web|url=https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/starting-an-airline-during-covid-19-may-sound-like-a-bad-idea-but-for-flybig-its-a-perfect-flightplan-5757151.html |title=Starting an airline during COVID-19 may sound like a bad idea. But for Flybig, it's a perfect flightplan|publisher=[[Moneycontrol.com]] |date=26 August 2020 |access-date= 23 October 2020}}</ref>
The airline received a [[No Objection Certificate]] (NOC) from the [[Ministry of Civil Aviation (India)|Ministry of Civil Aviation]] and received its [[Air Operator's Certificate]] (AoC) on 14 December 2020, both necessary for starting commercial operations. It began operations with a single [[ATR-72-500]].<ref name="BM1">{{cite web|url=https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/others/hals-dornier-is-all-set-to-get-new-wings-flybig-wings/articleshow/77839769.cms |title=HAL's Dornier is all set to get new wings, flybig wings |publisher=[[Bangalore Mirror]] |date=31 August 2020 |access-date= 23 October 2020}}</ref> The company's focus is to serve Tier-2 cities and it aims to build a fleet of more [[ATR-72]]s and Viking/ DHC Twin Otters, thus eventually expand to a fleet of 20 aircraft.<ref name="MC1">{{cite web|url=https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/starting-an-airline-during-covid-19-may-sound-like-a-bad-idea-but-for-flybig-its-a-perfect-flightplan-5757151.html |title=Starting an airline during COVID-19 may sound like a bad idea. But for flybig, it's a perfect flightplan|publisher=[[Moneycontrol.com]] |date=26 August 2020 |access-date= 23 October 2020}}</ref>
 
Before the airline began scheduled flights, it got its first route under a government tender to serve [[Shillong Airport|Shillong]] from [[Indira Gandhi International Airport|Delhi]]. The flights commenced on 21 December 2020 and to fulfil its obligations, the airline [[wet-lease]]d a [[De Havilland Canada Dash 8#Series 400|DHC-8 Q400]] aircraft from [[SpiceJet]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Direct Flight Services Between Shillong, Delhi Launched|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/direct-flight-services-between-shillong-delhi-launched-2341786|access-date=2 January 2021|website=NDTV.com}}</ref> The airline conducted proving flights on 4 December 2020,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Indore welcomes first Proving Flight of Fly Big Airlines, receives water cannon salute |url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/indore/indore-welcomes-first-proving-flight-of-fly-big-airlines-receives-water-cannon-salute|date=4 December 2020| access-date=5 January 2021|website=[[The Free Press Journal]] }}</ref> and operated its first scheduled flight on 3 January 2021 from [[Indore]] to [[Ahmedabad]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Desk|first=((India com Business))|date=1 January 2021|title= flybig to Start Operations From January 3: All You Need to Know About India's New Airline|url=https://www.india.com/business/flybig-to-start-operations-from-january-3-all-you-need-to-know-about-indias-new-airline-4303201/|access-date=2 January 2021|website=India News, Breaking News {{!}} India.com|language=en}}</ref> As of March 2024, it has [[#Destinations|11 destinations]] with a fleet of three aircraft covering 3 states.
 
In November 2023, FlyBig Airlines temporarily ceased operations in Arunachal Pradesh, citing supply chain challenges as the primary reason.<ref name="Singh 2023 t191">{{cite web | last=Singh | first=Bikash | title=FlyBig Airlines temporarily suspends operations in Arunachal Pradesh due to supply chain challenges | website=The Economic Times | date=17 November 2023 | url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/flybig-airlines-temporarily-suspends-operations-in-arunachal-pradesh-due-to-supply-chain-challenges/articleshow/105288552.cms | access-date=28 December 2023}}</ref>


Before the airline began any scheduled flights, it had won its first route under a government tender to serve [[Shillong Airport|Shillong]] from [[Indira Gandhi International Airport|Delhi]]. The flights commenced on 21 December 2020 and to fulfil its obligations, the airline [[wet-lease]]d a Dash 8 Q400 from [[SpiceJet]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Direct Flight Services Between Shillong, Delhi Launched|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/direct-flight-services-between-shillong-delhi-launched-2341786|access-date=2021-01-02|website=NDTV.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Rashir|first=Princess Giri|title=Are you ready to FLYBIG from Shillong to Delhi?|url=https://www.eastmojo.com/meghalaya/2020/12/19/are-you-ready-to-flybig-from-shillong-to-delhi|access-date=2021-01-02|website=EastMojo|language=en}}</ref>
In November 2025, it was reported that the Indian civil aviation authority had received an IDERA (Irrevocable Deregistration and Export Request Authorization) from AER Leasing Corp, the Japanese aircraft leasing company, which is the lessor of flybig's three Indian-registered [[DHC-6-400 Twin Otter]]s. The aircraft have not performed any flights since October 2025 and are currently parked at [[Bhopal Airport]]. An IDERA request is a legal document which enables an aircraft lessor to have its aircraft deregistered and exported from a country if an airline defaults on lease payments.<ref name="a694">{{cite web | last=Joshi | first=Ameya | title=DGCA gets IDERA request for deregistration of all three FlyBig aircraft | website=mint | date=7 November 2025 | url=https://www.livemint.com/companies/dgca-gets-idera-request-for-deregistration-of-all-three-flybig-aircraft-11762511072251.html | access-date=13 December 2025}}</ref><ref name="x025">{{cite web | last=Ash | first=Paul | title=Lessor requests Indian CAA to deregister flybig Twin Otters | website=ch-aviation | date=11 November 2025 | url=https://www.ch-aviation.com/news/160504-lessor-requests-indian-caa-to-deregister-flybig-twin-otters | access-date=13 December 2025}}</ref> On 8 December, it was then reported that [[Dubai Aerospace Enterprise]] (DAE Capital) had won a $1.1 million award from flybig due to the airline's failure to meet lease agreement obligations in relation to previously leased [[ATR 72]] aircraft.<ref name="i416">{{cite web | last=Sipinski | first=Dominik | title=DAE Capital wins $1.1mn award from India's flybig | website=ch-aviation | date=8 December 2025 | url=https://www.ch-aviation.com/news/161473-dae-capital-wins-11mn-award-from-indias-flybig | access-date=13 December 2025}}</ref> While flybig has not performed any flights since the aircraft were grounded in October, the company formally ceased operations on 13 December 2025, when its [[air operator's certificate]] (AOC) issued by India's [[Directorate General of Civil Aviation (India)|Directorate General of Civil Aviation]] (DGCA) expired.<ref name="y014">{{cite web | title=Directorate General of Civil Aviation | website=Government of India | date=15 January 2024 | url=https://www.dgca.gov.in/digigov-portal/?baseLocale=en_US?page=jsp/dgca/InventoryList/airOperation/certification/scheduled/sch-oper.pdf | access-date=13 December 2025}}</ref>
The airline conducted proving flights on 4 December 2020<ref>{{Cite web|title=Indore welcomes first Proving Flight of Fly Big Airlines, receives water cannon salute |url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/indore/indore-welcomes-first-proving-flight-of-fly-big-airlines-receives-water-cannon-salute|date=4 December 2020| access-date=5 January 2021|website=[[The Free Press Journal]] }}</ref> and operated its first scheduled flight on 3 January 2021 from Indore to [[Ahmedabad]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Desk|first=India com Business|date=2021-01-01|title=Flybig to Start Operations From January 3: All You Need to Know About India's New Airline|url=https://www.india.com/business/flybig-to-start-operations-from-january-3-all-you-need-to-know-about-indias-new-airline-4303201/|access-date=2021-01-02|website=India News, Breaking News {{!}} India.com|language=en}}</ref>


== Destinations ==
== Destinations ==
[[File:FlyBig Aircraft at Raipur Airport.png|thumb|A FlyBig ATR 72 parked at Swami Vivekananda Airport, Raipur]]
As of December 2024, FlyBig operates between the following destinations:
 
[[File:FlyBig Aircraft landed at Raipur Airport dec 2020.png|thumb| Flybig aircraft at Swami Vivekananda Airport, Raipur]]
FlyBig flies to 8 domestic destinations all within India, with its hub at [[Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport]] in [[Indore]]
{| class="wikitable sortable"
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!State
! State
!City
! City
! class="unsortable" |Airport
! Airport
!Notes
! Notes
! class="unsortable" |{{abbr|Ref.|References}}
! class="unsortable"|{{Abbr|Refs.|References}}
|-
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[Arunachal Pradesh]]
|rowspan="2"|[[Punjab, India|Punjab]]
|[[Pasighat]]
|[[Bathinda]]
|[[Pasighat Airport]]
|[[Bathinda Airport]]
|
|
|<ref>{{cite news|last=Jha|first=Abhijay|title=Two routes to Punjab from Hindon terminal now, but services to Dehradun suspended|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ghaziabad/two-routes-to-punjab-from-hindon-terminal-now-but-services-to-dehradun-suspended/articleshow/103648649.cms|quote=Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann will formally inaugurate the route on September 18, Ratan Laxmanro Ambhore, the head of ground operations at Flybig, told TOI.|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=14 September 2023|access-date=14 September 2023|language=en}}</ref>
|-
|-
|[[Tezu]]
|[[Ludhiana]]
|[[Tezu Airport]]
|[[Ludhiana Airport]]
|
|
|<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=FlyBig Flight Schedule January 2021|url=https://flybig.in/documents/FlightScheduleSheet.pdf|access-date=2020-01-02|website=Flybig}}</ref>
|<ref name="Network Expansion"/>
|-
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Assam]]
| rowspan="3" |[[Uttarakhand]]
|[[Kokrajhar]]
|[[Dehradun]]
|[[Rupsi Airport]]||
|[[Dehradun Airport]]
|<ref name=":0" />
|
|<ref name="Network Expansion" />
|-
|-
|[[Guwahati]]
|[[Pithoragarh]]
|[[Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport]]
|[[Pithoragarh Airport]]
|
|
|<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Flight Schedule - March 2024 |url=https://flybig.in/documents/Flight_Schedule_Mar_2024.pdf |website=FlyBig}}</ref>
|-
|[[Pantnagar]]
|[[Pantnagar Airport]]
|
|
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
|-
|[[Chhattisgarh]]
| rowspan="7" |[[Uttar Pradesh]]
|[[Raipur]]
|[[Aligarh]]
|[[Swami Vivekananda Airport]]
|[[Aligarh Airport]]  
|
|
|<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=FlyBig Flight Schedule January 2021|url=https://flybig.in/documents/FlightScheduleSheet.pdf|access-date=2020-01-02|website=Flybig}}</ref>
|<ref name="FlyBig UP expansion">{{cite news |title=Now, direct flights from Lucknow to 6 UP cities |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/direct-flights-from-lucknow-to-6-up-cities-flybig-airlines/articleshow/108093170.cms |accessdate=29 February 2024 |work=Times of India|date=29 February 2024 }}</ref>
|-
|-
|[[Gujarat]]
|[[Azamgarh]]
|[[Ahmedabad]]
|[[Azamgarh Airport]]
|[[Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport]]
|
|
| align="center" |<ref name=":0" />
|<ref name="FlyBig UP expansion" />
|-
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Madhya Pradesh]]
|[[Chitrakoot Dham|Chitrakoot]]
|[[Indore]]
|[[Chitrakoot Airport]]
|[[Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport]]||{{airline hub}}
|
|<ref name=":0" />
|<ref name="FlyBig UP expansion" />
|-
|-
|[[Bhopal]]
|[[Lucknow]]
|[[Raja Bhoj Airport]]
|{{nowrap|[[Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport]]}}
|
|
|<ref name="FlyBig UP expansion" />
|-
|[[Shravasti]]
|[[Shravasti Airport]]
|
|
|<ref name="FlyBig UP expansion" />
|-
|-
|[[Meghalaya]]
|[[Ghaziabad]]
|[[Shillong]]
|[[Hindon Airport]]
|[[Shillong Airport]]
|
|
|<ref name="newsonair_406469">{{Cite web|title=First-ever direct flight from Delhi to Shillong becomes operational|url=http://newsonair.com/Main-News-Details.aspx?title=First-ever-direct-flight-from-Delhi-to-Shillong-becomes-operational&id=406469|access-date=2021-01-02|website=newsonair.com}}</ref>
|<ref name="FlyBig UP expansion" />
|-
|-
|[[West Bengal]]
|[[Moradabad]]
|[[Kolkata]]
|[[Moradabad Airport]]
|[[Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport]]
|
|
|<ref name=":0" />
|-
| rowspan="4" |[[Madhya Pradesh]]
|[[Rewa, Madhya Pradesh| Rewa]]
|[[Rewa Airport]]
|
|
|<ref name="auto">{{cite news|title= First flight takes off: Now, new service connects Rewa to Bhopal & Khajuraho |url= https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhopal/new-air-service-launches-rewa-now-connected-to-bhopal-and-khajuraho/articleshow/115671406.cms |website=www. timesofindia.indiatimes.com|date=26 November 2024}}</ref>
|-
|-
|[[Bhopal]]
|[[Raja Bhoj International Airport]]
|
|
|<ref name="auto"/>
|-
|[[Khajuraho]]
|[[Khajuraho Airport]]
|
|
|<ref name="auto"/>
|-
|[[Datia]]
|[[Datia Airport]]
|
|
|<ref name="auto"/>
|-
| rowspan="3" |[[Chhattisgarh]]
|[[Raipur]]
|[[Swami Vivekananda Airport]]
|
|
|<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web |last=Sharma |first=Sheenu |title=flybig starts operation from raipur airport |date=19 December 2024 |url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/chhattisgarh/chhattisgarh-flight-service-launched-on-raipur-ambikapur-bilaspur-route-cm-vishnu-deo-sai-flybig-airlines-latest-updates-2024-12-19-967035}}</ref>
|-
|[[Ambikapur, India|Ambikapur]]
|[[Ambikapur Airport]]
|
|
|<ref name="auto1"/>
|-
|-
|[[Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh|Bilaspur]]
|[[Bilaspur Airport]]
|
|<ref name="auto1"/>
|}
|}


==Fleet==
==Fleet==
The flybig fleet consists of the following aircraft as of December 2024:<ref>{{Cite web |title=We are elated to add another family member to our ever-expanding 𝗳𝗹𝘆𝗯𝗶𝗴 fleet family. We warmly 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 our flying beauty 𝗧𝘄𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 on Indian land. We are ready to make our 2 and 3 tier cities guests' journey easy & fast|url=https://twitter.com/flybigairlines/status/1674352173721993216?s=20 |date=29 June 2023|access-date=29 June 2023 |website=FlyBig |language=en}}</ref>


The FlyBig fleet consists of the following aircraft as of December 2020:<ref>{{Cite web|title=Flybig Airlines Fleet Details and History|url=https://www.planespotters.net/airline/Flybig-Airlines?refresh=1|access-date=2021-01-02|website=FlyBig India Fleet}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; border-collapse:collapse;text-align:center"
<center>
|+ flybig fleet
{| class="wikitable" style="border-collapse:collapse;text-align:center"
|+ FlyBig fleet
|-
|-
!Aircraft
!Aircraft
Line 119: Line 162:
!Notes
!Notes
|-
|-
|[[ATR 72|ATR 72-500]]
|[[de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter|DHC-6-400 Twin Otter]]
|1
|4
|2
|8
|78
|19
|  
| <ref>{{Cite web |title=India's flybig eyes green Twin Otter -400s |url=https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/121752-indias-flybig-eyes-green-twin-otter-400s |access-date=27 April 2023 |website=ch-aviation |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/RaghavanO7/status/1761463849922740632?t=xwoBp8cE5Gj12CoQrxBkdQ&s=19|title=x.com}}</ref>
|-
|-
!Total
!Total
!1
!4
!2
!8
!colspan=2|
!colspan=2|
|}
|}
</center>


==See also==
==See also==
* [[List of airlines of India]]
* [[List of defunct airlines of India]]
* [[Transport in India]]
* [[Transport in India]]


Line 140: Line 182:


== External links==
== External links==
 
{{Commonscat|FlyBig}}
*{{Official website}}
{{airlines of India}}
{{airlines of India}}


[[Category:Airlines of India]]
[[Category:Defunct airlines of India]]
[[Category:2020 establishments in Haryana]]
[[Category:2020 establishments in Haryana]]
[[Category:Airlines established in 2020]]
[[Category:Airlines established in 2020]]
[[Category:Airlines disestablished in 2025]]
[[Category:Indian companies established in 2020]]
[[Category:Indian companies established in 2020]]
[[Category:2025 disestablishments in India]]
[[Category:Companies based in Haryana]]
[[Category:Companies based in Haryana]]
[[Category:Transport in Haryana]]
[[Category:Transport in Haryana]]

Latest revision as of 18:07, 20 December 2025


flybig
File:FlyBig Logo.svg
IATA ICAO Callsign
S9[1] FLG KRIS
Founded2020
Commenced operations21 December 2020; 5 years ago (2020-12-21)
Ceased operations13 December 2025; 7 months ago (2025-12-13)
Fleet size4
Destinations24
Parent companyBig Charter Private Limited
HeadquartersGurugram, Haryana, India
Key peopleCaptain Sanjay Mandavia (CMD)
Chander Bahadur (Head Financial Intelligence and Strategies)
Employees500
Website{{URL|example.com|optional display text}}

flybig was an Indian regional airline based in Gurugram, Haryana.[2] It was promoted by Gurugram-based Big Charter Private Limited. The airline began operations in December 2020 and focused on connecting tier-2 cities within India.[3] Prior to ceasing operations the airline operated in north and northwest India.[4][5][6]

History[edit | edit source]

The airline received a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Ministry of Civil Aviation and received its Air Operator's Certificate (AoC) on 14 December 2020, both necessary for starting commercial operations. It began operations with a single ATR-72-500.[7] The company's focus is to serve Tier-2 cities and it aims to build a fleet of more ATR-72s and Viking/ DHC Twin Otters, thus eventually expand to a fleet of 20 aircraft.[8]

Before the airline began scheduled flights, it got its first route under a government tender to serve Shillong from Delhi. The flights commenced on 21 December 2020 and to fulfil its obligations, the airline wet-leased a DHC-8 Q400 aircraft from SpiceJet.[9] The airline conducted proving flights on 4 December 2020,[10] and operated its first scheduled flight on 3 January 2021 from Indore to Ahmedabad.[11] As of March 2024, it has 11 destinations with a fleet of three aircraft covering 3 states.

In November 2023, FlyBig Airlines temporarily ceased operations in Arunachal Pradesh, citing supply chain challenges as the primary reason.[12]

In November 2025, it was reported that the Indian civil aviation authority had received an IDERA (Irrevocable Deregistration and Export Request Authorization) from AER Leasing Corp, the Japanese aircraft leasing company, which is the lessor of flybig's three Indian-registered DHC-6-400 Twin Otters. The aircraft have not performed any flights since October 2025 and are currently parked at Bhopal Airport. An IDERA request is a legal document which enables an aircraft lessor to have its aircraft deregistered and exported from a country if an airline defaults on lease payments.[13][14] On 8 December, it was then reported that Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE Capital) had won a $1.1 million award from flybig due to the airline's failure to meet lease agreement obligations in relation to previously leased ATR 72 aircraft.[15] While flybig has not performed any flights since the aircraft were grounded in October, the company formally ceased operations on 13 December 2025, when its air operator's certificate (AOC) issued by India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) expired.[16]

Destinations[edit | edit source]

As of December 2024, FlyBig operates between the following destinations:

State City Airport Notes Refs.
Punjab Bathinda Bathinda Airport [17]
Ludhiana Ludhiana Airport [6]
Uttarakhand Dehradun Dehradun Airport [6]
Pithoragarh Pithoragarh Airport [18]
Pantnagar Pantnagar Airport [18]
Uttar Pradesh Aligarh Aligarh Airport [19]
Azamgarh Azamgarh Airport [19]
Chitrakoot Chitrakoot Airport [19]
Lucknow Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport [19]
Shravasti Shravasti Airport [19]
Ghaziabad Hindon Airport [19]
Moradabad Moradabad Airport [18]
Madhya Pradesh Rewa Rewa Airport [20]
Bhopal Raja Bhoj International Airport [20]
Khajuraho Khajuraho Airport [20]
Datia Datia Airport [20]
Chhattisgarh Raipur Swami Vivekananda Airport [21]
Ambikapur Ambikapur Airport [21]
Bilaspur Bilaspur Airport [21]

Fleet[edit | edit source]

The flybig fleet consists of the following aircraft as of December 2024:[22]

flybig fleet
Aircraft In service Orders Passengers Notes
DHC-6-400 Twin Otter 4 8 19 [23][24]
Total 4 8

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ "The Aviation Codes Website - Airline Codes Full Details". www.avcodes.co.uk.
  2. ↑ "Airline and Location Code Search". www.iata.org. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  3. ↑ "flyBig likely to start ops from Raja Bhoj by year-end". The Times of India. 24 October 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  4. ↑ "FlyBig has changed its order with De Havilland for a more economical option: Sanjay Mandavia". Moneycontrol. 6 July 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  5. ↑ "FlyBig to launch Patna-Kol flight". The Times of India. 3 June 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Jain, Nitin (4 September 2023). "Ludhiana gets Dehradun, Delhi air link from this week". The Tribune. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  7. ↑ "HAL's Dornier is all set to get new wings, flybig wings". Bangalore Mirror. 31 August 2020. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  8. ↑ "Starting an airline during COVID-19 may sound like a bad idea. But for flybig, it's a perfect flightplan". Moneycontrol.com. 26 August 2020. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  9. ↑ "Direct Flight Services Between Shillong, Delhi Launched". NDTV.com. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  10. ↑ "Indore welcomes first Proving Flight of Fly Big Airlines, receives water cannon salute". The Free Press Journal. 4 December 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  11. ↑ Desk, India com Business (1 January 2021). "flybig to Start Operations From January 3: All You Need to Know About India's New Airline". India News, Breaking News | India.com. Retrieved 2 January 2021. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  12. ↑ Singh, Bikash (17 November 2023). "FlyBig Airlines temporarily suspends operations in Arunachal Pradesh due to supply chain challenges". The Economic Times. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  13. ↑ Joshi, Ameya (7 November 2025). "DGCA gets IDERA request for deregistration of all three FlyBig aircraft". mint. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  14. ↑ Ash, Paul (11 November 2025). "Lessor requests Indian CAA to deregister flybig Twin Otters". ch-aviation. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  15. ↑ Sipinski, Dominik (8 December 2025). "DAE Capital wins $1.1mn award from India's flybig". ch-aviation. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  16. ↑ "Directorate General of Civil Aviation" (PDF). Government of India. 15 January 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  17. ↑ Jha, Abhijay (14 September 2023). "Two routes to Punjab from Hindon terminal now, but services to Dehradun suspended". The Times of India. Retrieved 14 September 2023. Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann will formally inaugurate the route on September 18, Ratan Laxmanro Ambhore, the head of ground operations at Flybig, told TOI.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 "Flight Schedule - March 2024" (PDF). FlyBig.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 "Now, direct flights from Lucknow to 6 UP cities". Times of India. 29 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 "First flight takes off: Now, new service connects Rewa to Bhopal & Khajuraho". www. timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 26 November 2024.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Sharma, Sheenu (19 December 2024). "flybig starts operation from raipur airport".
  22. ↑ "We are elated to add another family member to our ever-expanding 𝗳𝗹𝘆𝗯𝗶𝗴 fleet family. We warmly 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 our flying beauty 𝗧𝘄𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 on Indian land. We are ready to make our 2 and 3 tier cities guests' journey easy & fast". FlyBig. 29 June 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  23. ↑ "India's flybig eyes green Twin Otter -400s". ch-aviation. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  24. ↑ "x.com".

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