Akasa Air Introduces Boeing Max Variant In Asia, Becomes Eligible To Fly Internationally

The airline added the 20th aircraft to its fleet and fulfilled the conditions required for an airline to start international operations under the National Civil Aviation Policy 2016. 

Akasa Air became eligible to initiate international operations on Tuesday. The airline added the 20th aircraft to its fleet and fulfilled the conditions required for an airline to start international operations under the National Civil Aviation Policy 2016. 

According to a PTI report, the airline added a Boeing 737 Max variant, specifically the 737-8-200, to its fleet. Akasa became the first airline in Asia to have the specific Boeing variant. The company stated in its release that the new aircraft aligns with “Akasa Air's continued efforts to control operating costs.” The airline will also complete one year of operations on August 7.  

Akasa Air CEO and founder, Vinay Dube, said, “Today's significant addition to our fleet signals the start of Akasa's international growth chapter, and it makes us tremendously optimistic about our future. Going from zero to 20 aircraft within 12 months not only sets an Akasa record but also embodies the potential of our great country. It's a national achievement.”

The B737-8-200 aircraft arrived in Bengaluru on Tuesday morning at 9:31, the company release noted. 

Boeing’s senior vice president of commercial sales and marketing, Brad McMullen said, “The 737-8-200 offers a balance of airline economics and unparalleled customer experience. It perfectly aligns with Akasa's commitment to service excellence."

Last week, VK Singh, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, informed Lok Sabha that Akasa Air had reported an operating loss of Rs 602 crore till March 2023. For the same period, the airline logged revenue of Rs 777.8 crore and operational expenditure of Rs 1,866 crore, reported Business Standard. 

According to data from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Akasa Air reported monthly domestic passenger numbers of 618,000 passengers in June against SpiceJet’s 555,000 passengers, surpassing the latter for the first time. At present, the airline operates more than 900 weekly flights across 16 cities.