Akasa Air Takes Delivery Of First 737 MAX Aircraft From Boeing In Seattle

Akasa Air had on November 26 last year signed a deal with Boeing to purchase 72 MAX aircraft after the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation gave the green light to MAX planes

Akasa Air, which is backed by ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala and aviation veterans Vinay Dube and Aditya Ghosh, received the NOC from the Ministry of Civil Aviation in August 2021 to launch commercial flight operations.

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Akasa Air, which is going to launch its service soon, on Thursday took delivery of the first 737 MAX aircraft from Boeing in Seattle, USA, PTI reported.

Akasa Air had on November 26 last year signed a deal with Boeing to purchase 72 MAX aircraft after the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) gave the green light to MAX planes.

Commenting on the successful delivery of first aircraft on Thursday, Vinay Dube, founder, managing director and chief executive officer, Akasa Air, said, “This is indeed a symbolic milestone in the journey of Akasa Air, bringing us one step closer to the process of obtaining our Air Operator's Permit (AOP) and leading to our commercial launch.”

Boeing India tweeted saying, "Congratulations @AkasaAir on the delivery of your first 737-8! We are excited for you and your passengers."

Congratulations @AkasaAir on the delivery of your first 737-8! We are excited for you and your passengers ✈️ https://t.co/UOXrpy6HMJ

— Boeing India (@Boeing_In) June 16, 2022

The airline, which is backed by ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala and aviation veterans Vinay Dube and Aditya Ghosh, received the no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Ministry of Civil Aviation in August 2021 to launch commercial flight operations.

The airline in a statement said, “With a strong commitment to democratise the skies, the airlines' total order of 72 aircraft includes an initial delivery of 18 aircraft by March 2023, followed by delivery of the remaining 54 aircraft over the course of the next four years.”

The Indian aviation industry is set to witness more competition as Jet Airways also readies to take off again after a gap of nearly three years. The airline now plans to restart commercial flight operations in the July-September quarter this year.

The Tata Group, which has taken control over Air India, is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the carrier regains its lost glory.