Akasa Air inducts two new Boeing aircraft, total fleet rises to 22

Akasa Air has expanded its fleet to 22 aircraft after the airline announced the induction of two Boeing 737 MAX 8 airplanes.

The airline now has a fleet of 21 Boeing 737 MAX 8 and one Boeing 737 MAX 8 200 aircraft.

The addition of two new aircraft comes amid reports of the airline being close to ordering 150 Boeing 737 MAX narrowbody planes this month.

The airline, which started commercial operations in August 2022, incorporated the 20th aircraft into its fleet in August 2023, thereby qualifying for international flight operations.

Indian regulations mandate that carriers must have at least 20 aircraft in their fleet to be eligible for international flights.

“Akasa Air’s remarkable growth testifies to the sheer promise that India holds as an aviation market. The additions to our fleet will help us bolster the strength of our operations as we expand our footprint and foray into international skies in the coming months,” said Vinay Dube, founder and CEO, Akasa Air.

The airline is looking at a mix of destinations, which includes Southeast Asia, West Asia, Commonwealth of Independent States countries, East Africa, Malé (Maldives), Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, and all the other countries that can be reached within six hours, Dube had told Business Standard last year.

Meanwhile, Akasa Air's total order book with Boeing stands at 76 Max aircraft, supporting its international expansion plan. The airline is set to have 26-27 planes from the total 76 Max aircraft by March 2024,

“... the 737 MAX family provides greater range and fuel efficiency, reducing fuel use and carbon emissions by 20 per cent compared to those it replaces. In addition, the 737 MAX is a quieter airplane with a 50 per cent smaller noise footprint than replacement airplanes,” the airline said in a release.

The airline, which holds a domestic market share of 4.2 per cent as of November 2023, claims to have served over 6.3 million passengers operating across 17 cities in India. It operates flights to cities such as Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi, Delhi, Guwahati, Agartala, Pune, Hyderabad, Kolkata among others.