Pure-play regional airline FLY91 has announced the appointment of aviation veterans Krishnan Balakrishnan as President & Chief Operating Officer and Jitendra Kushwah as Chief Financial Officer. The appointments come as the airline continues its measured expansion across southern and western India, currently operating across 12 destinations in its growing regional network, reinforcing its commitment to “Connecting Bharat” through safe, reliable and efficient regional air services. Both executives will report directly to Founder, Managing Director and CEO Manoj Chacko and will join the airline’s core leadership team.
Krishnan Balakrishnan brings more than three decades of experience across the global aviation industry. He joins FLY91 from Jazeera Airways in Kuwait, where he spent eight years, most recently serving as Deputy CEO. Prior to that, he held the role of Chief Financial Officer at GoAir and has also held senior leadership positions at Jet Airways and Transwest Helicopters in Canada. At FLY91, he will lead day-to-day operations, drive operational excellence across the organisation, and work closely with aircraft manufacturers and strategic partners to support the airline’s continued expansion.
Jitendra Kushwah joins FLY91 from FSTC, where he was part of the founding leadership team and served as Chief Financial & Operating Officer. He has previously held senior finance leadership roles at SpiceJet, IndiGo and The Oberoi Group. With over three decades of experience in financial management, corporate governance and strategic planning, Kushwah will oversee Finance, Administration and Procurement, supporting FLY91’s broader growth strategy and long-term objectives.
Commenting on the appointments, Manoj Chacko, Managing Director & CEO of FLY91, said the airline was built on the belief that regional India deserves better connectivity and greater opportunities. He noted that over the past three years, the team has laid a strong foundation and achieved significant milestones, and expressed confidence that Balakrishnan and Kushwah’s depth of experience and leadership would be invaluable as the airline enters its next phase of growth, aiming to connect underserved communities while creating lasting value for customers, employees and stakeholders.
The appointments reflect FLY91’s broader focus on strengthening its leadership team as it continues to expand its regional footprint, grow its fleet, and improve connectivity between India’s emerging regional centres. FLY91 currently operates a growing network spanning 12 destinations with approximately 280 weekly flights.