NEW DELHI: The country’s newest airline Akasa Air on Tuesday said it has added the 20th aircraft to its fleet, which makes it eligible to start international operations. Akasa had earlier said that they will work towards starting international operations by the end of 2023. The airline claims it has become the first airline in Asia to add the 737-8-200 variant of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to its fleet.
Indian regulations require airlines to have at least 20 aircraft in their fleet to become eligible for international operations and this milestone enables Akasa Air to fly internationally. Vinay Dube, founder and chief executive officer, at Akasa Air, said, “Going from 0 to 20 aircraft within 12 months is not just an Akasa record but a record that encapsulates the potential of our great country and one for our whole nation to be proud of. I am particularly gratified in the way our airline has grown.”
Since launching commercial operations in August 2022, Akasa currently operates over 900 weekly flights with a published network of 35 unique routes connecting 16 Indian cities. The B737-8-200 aircraft was delivered to the airline at the Boeing’s Seattle (USA)facility on July 28, and it arrived in Bengaluru on Tuesday, the release said.
The airline had placed an order of 72 aircraft, which include 23 737-8s and 53 high-capacity 737-8-200 planes, in 2021 ahead of its launch. In June this year, the airline announced it will acquire four more Boeing 737 MAX planes. Currently, Akasa operates more than 900 weekly flights across 16 cities.