Mohit Jajoo of BKJ Airports on Fixing Ground Handling Bottlenecks in Regional Aviation
📝Interviews
In this exclusive interaction with StartupTalky, conducted on the occasion of National Startup Day, Mohit Jajoo, Executive Director of BKJ Airports, shares how infrastructure-led startups are quietly solving some of the most critical bottlenecks in India’s regional aviation ecosystem. Drawing from BKJ Airports’ on-ground experience across Tier-2 and Tier-3 airports, Jajoo explains why ground handling inefficiencies—ranging from inconsistent turnaround times to manpower and equipment constraints—have historically limited the growth of regional connectivity under schemes like UDAN. He discusses how a safety-first mindset, standardised processes, and technology-driven operations can significantly improve on-time performance while keeping costs under control.
StartupTalky: What specific operational challenges at regional and Tier-2/Tier-3 airports made you focus on ground handling as the core problem, and how did you validate that this was the biggest constraint on regional aviation growth?
Mohit Jajoo: When we first looked into regional airports, the issues raised right away: inconsistent turnaround times, constant delays from bad coordination, and no real standard processes anywhere. Airlines wanted to add more flights under UDAN, but planes were just sitting there longer than they should because ground handling was scattered, short on people and equipment, and mostly reacting to problems instead of preventing them.
We validated this through direct conversations with airline station managers, airport operators, and our own on-ground teams. The data spoke for itself, in many Tier-2 and Tier-3 airports, ground handling was responsible for 40-50% of departure delays. That’s when we knew this was the single biggest bottleneck holding back regional connectivity. Once we fixed turnaround efficiency, the entire ecosystem started moving faster. That’s why we built BKJ Airports specifically to solve ground handling at scale.
StartupTalky: Ground handling directly impacts safety, turnaround time, and cost in daily operations. Which of these do you prioritise first during peak traffic hours, and why?
Mohit Jajoo: Safety always comes first, no exceptions. During peak hours, when multiple flights are turning around simultaneously and the pressure is highest, we never compromise on safety protocols. A safe operation is the foundation; everything else builds on it.
Once safety is locked in, we prioritise turnaround time because it directly drives on-time performance for the airline and passenger experience. Faster, reliable turnarounds also help us keep costs under control. We have learned that when safety and turnaround time are managed well, cost efficiency follows naturally.
StartupTalky: In regional airports with limited infrastructure and manpower, how do you design processes and deploy teams to reduce aircraft turnaround times without compromising safety or compliance?
Mohit Jajoo: We design lean, standardized processes that work even with limited infrastructure. Every station follows the same SOPs from baggage loading to pushback so our teams can deliver consistent performance no matter the airport size. We use technology like our Electronic Flight Handling Report (e-FHR) to capture real-time data, eliminate paperwork delays, and ensure every step is tracked and auditable.
For manpower, we cross-train staff so one team member can handle multiple roles during peaks. We deploy slightly larger buffer teams at regional stations to handle unexpected surges without rushing. And we run regular mock drills and safety briefings so everyone knows exactly what to do under pressure. The result is shorter turnarounds without ever cutting corners on safety or DGCA compliance.
StartupTalky: From a performance standpoint, which metric do you track most closely today – on-time departures, turnaround time reduction, cost per flight handled, or safety incidents and how has it changed since BKJ began operations?
Mohit Jajoo: Today, we track on-time departures most closely because it’s the single number that matters most to our airline partners and passengers. It’s the outcome of everything else we do.
When we started, our focus was heavily on turnaround time reduction and safety incidents getting the basics right. Over the last two years, as we scaled to 14 airports and built stronger processes, on-time performance has become the headline metric. We’ve seen consistent improvement: many of our stations now deliver on-time departures above industry benchmarks for regional airports. Safety incidents remain near zero, which is non-negotiable.
StartupTalky: As India marks National Startup Day, aviation is emerging as a key infrastructure-led startup opportunity. What gaps in India’s regional aviation ecosystem do you think startups are best placed to solve, based on your on-ground experience?
Mohit Jajoo: Regional aviation still has several underserved areas where startups can make a real difference. First, sustainable ground support equipment, especially electric GSE, is a massive opportunity right now. So many regional airports still run on old diesel equipment, they simply don’t have modern, green options yet. We’ve placed orders for next-generation electric fleets from global partners, and we’re proud to be one of the leaders pushing this shift in India.
Second, passenger experience at smaller airports has huge room for improvement. Things like clearer wayfinding, quicker baggage delivery, and simple digital tools can change how people feel about flying from regional spots. Startups that bring fresh ideas here will find real partners ready to grow with them
Third, workforce skilling and last-mile logistics for cargo at Tier-2/Tier-3 airports are wide open. Startups that bring technology, agility, and fresh thinking to these areas will find strong partners in airport operators and airlines. The ecosystem is growing fast; there’s plenty of room for nimble players to create value.
StartupTalky: Manpower availability is a recurring challenge at regional airports. How do you approach training, standardisation, and retention of ground handling staff in smaller cities?
Mohit Jajoo: We treat our people as the heart of the operation. We run structured training at every single station: classroom sessions, hands-on mentoring, and regular refreshers so no one is left behind. Everyone gets trained on the exact same curriculum, so our standards stay the same whether it’s Indore, Srinagar, or any of our 14 airports.
Retention comes down to three things: paying people fairly, showing them a real path to grow, and actually caring about them. We run weekly virtual meetings with every station, it’s non-negotiable so our teams feel heard and supported. We make a point to celebrate the small wins, have recognition programs, and keep opening doors for promotions inside BKJ.
Especially in smaller cities, we hire locally and work hard to build relationships with families so people feel rooted and committed for the long run. When our people know they’re valued and can see a future here, they stay. When our teams feel truly valued and see real opportunities, they stay with us.
StartupTalky: Airlines operating under cost pressure expect both efficiency and affordability. What operational or process innovations have helped BKJ lower per-flight handling costs while maintaining service quality?
Mohit Jajoo: We’ve brought down per-flight handling costs through smart technology and tight process discipline. Our e-FHR system fully automates data capture and invoicing – no more manual errors or slow paperwork. We’ve also invested in one of the largest electric GSE fleets in the country, which cuts fuel and maintenance expenses dramatically.
Standardisation across all stations eliminates duplication and waste. Cross-training lets us keep teams efficient and flexible. Together, these steps give us faster, safer turnarounds at lower cost without ever dropping quality. Our airline partners get stronger value, and we remain competitive in a tough market.
StartupTalky: Looking ahead, as regional air traffic grows under schemes like UDAN, what does meaningful scale look like for BKJ, expansion across more airports, deeper service offerings, or technology-led ground operations?
Mohit Jajoo: Meaningful scale for us is a combination of all three, but with technology as the backbone. We aim to be present at 50+ airports in the coming years, bringing the same high standards to every location. At the same time, we’re deepening our offerings, moving into facility management, commercial services, and advanced passenger handling where it makes sense.
But the real game changer will be technology led operations: larger electric fleets, AI-driven predictive maintenance for equipment, and fully digital workflows. We want BKJ to be known not just as a ground handler, but as a technology-enabled, sustainability-driven airport services platform that grows with India’s aviation ecosystem for the next 100 years.
Muskaan Kapoor
Must have tools for startups - Recommended by StartupTalky
- Convert Visitors into Leads- SeizeLead
- Website Builder SquareSpace
- Run your business Smoothly Systeme.io
- Stock Images Shutterstock
