LONDON – Indian carrier Akasa Air has received its Air Operator’s Certificate from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, clearing the airline to begin operations.
This is another milestone following the airline receiving its first Boeing 737 MAX aircraft on June 21.
Akasa will begin operations later this month with two aircraft and will be adding more to their fleet every month. It is understood that by the end of the fiscal year, there will be 18 aircraft in the fleet.
After that, the airline will receive 12-14 aircraft every 12 months, which will meet the carrier’s overall order of 72 aircraft within the next five years.
Vinay Dube, Founder, and Chief Executive Officer, of Akasa Air, said “We are extremely thankful to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the DGCA for their constructive guidance, active support, and the highest levels of efficiency throughout the AOC process.”
“We now look forward to opening our flights for sale, leading to the start of commercial operations by late July. This will begin our journey towards building India’s greenest, most dependable, and most affordable airline”.
“We also want to take this moment to thank and acknowledge the collective contributions of our employees and partners whose commitment, perseverance, optimism, meticulous planning, and exemplary teamwork have helped us achieve this milestone.”
“This is not just a significant milestone for Akasa Air and Indian aviation, but also a testimony to the story of a vibrant and resilient India”.
Other Milestones…
Akasa Air will soon become India’s greenest and most environmentally friendly airline.
The airline has a very bold and strong commitment to ‘democratize’ the skies of India, this means, making air travel more affordable than ever.
The airline has 72 Boeing 737MAXs on order, with its first 18 extremely fuel-efficient jets to be delivered by March of next year (2023). This leaves a very ambitious four years for Boeing, to deliver the remaining 54 aircraft until 2027!
Akasa Air seems to have chosen the correct aircraft for its fleet.
The Boeing 737 MAX aircraft delivers fuel efficiency, which is suitable for regional jets, flying in India, where prices tend to be low, this gives flexibility and operational competitiveness for airlines like Akasa Air to operate reliably while reducing fuel use and carbon emissions.
The aircraft also provides the lowest seat-mile costs for a single-aisle airplane as well as low turn-around time for airlines to dispatch, allowing the aircraft to operate on a tight schedule.
Moreover, the new aircraft is reliable despite its questionable past, but with the improved and updated aircraft, passengers can rest their minds when flying on the new MAX aircraft.
Lastly, the MAX aircraft, means less noise, new interior design, and better ergonomics which will give the airline the edge out of all the carriers flying in the country.
It remains clear that Akasa Air is one step closer to achieving its goal of becoming a major disruptor in the Indian airline industry, and will be able to do so through the utilization of the MAX.
