By Vijay Grover
India’s newest entrant to fly Indian skies soon, Akasa Air took delivery of its first Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in Seattle, USA. Decked in its Orange and Purple livery, the Boeing 737 Max aircraft was handed over by the Boeing Team to Akasa Air in a simple ceremony. The airline is backed by ace investors Rakesh Jhunjhunwala and Vinay Dube and Aditya Ghosh, both of whom come with a tremendous amount of experience in the aviation sector.
Commenting on the delivery of its first aircraft, Vinay Dube – Founder, Managing Director & 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. While we are extremely happy with this achievement, we want to keep ourselves focused on the task of delivering on our vision to transform India’s air transportation ecosystem, support the nation’s economic growth engine and help fellow Indians chase their dreams.”
A statement by Akasa Air was a signal of what the Indian Aviation Sector can expect from the new airline which is looking to take to the skies in July 2022. “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,” read the Akasa Air statement.
“We are honored to deliver the first 737 MAX to Akasa Air, India’s newest airline focused on making air travel inclusive and affordable for all,” said Stan Deal, Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO. “Flying an advanced, environmentally progressive 737 MAX fleet with greater fuel efficiency and lower operating costs will enable Akasa Air to profitably serve the Indian market while passing those savings on to its passengers.”
Akasa Air had signed a deal with Boeing to purchase 72 Max aircraft on November 26, 2021, approximately three months after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) gave the green light to Max planes. Akasa Air is scheduled to receive its first Max aircraft this month in India and is planning to get the Air Operator’s Permit to help it launch its commercial flight operations next month.
