Akasa Air may begin commercial operations by July

On Monday, Akasa Air announced that it expects to acquire its first Boeing 737 Max plane by the middle of June and begin commercial operations in July.

The airline posted photos of its first Max plane from the Boeing production factory in Portland, Oregon, on Monday as it prepares for delivery.

“The airline has confirmed its intention to receiving its first aircraft in India by mid-June and to begin commercial operations in India by July 2022,” according to the statement.

It expects to operate 18 aircraft over internal routes in the country by the end of March 2023, with a concentration on metro to tier-2 and tier-3 cities, according to the company.

In August 2021, the airline, which is funded by ace businessman Rakesh Jhunjhunwala and aviation veterans Vinay Dube and Aditya Ghosh, acquired the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s no-objection certificate to begin commercial flight operations.

Following the approval of the Boeing 737 Max by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation in late August of last year, Akasa Air inked a contract with Boeing on November 26, 2021, to purchase 72 Max jets.

The Max aircraft will be powered by the highly fuel-efficient CFM LEAP B engine, according to Akasa Air.

“The 737 Max is one of the crucial reasons that will provide Akasa Air a competitive edge in its vibrant home market,” it said.

According to the airline, India’s developing economy and population would fuel significant demand for commercial flights, necessitating the purchase of 1,000 new planes over the next 20 years.