Akasa Air, India’s newest airline, owned by veteran investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, will commence its flying commercial operations from tomorrow, August 7, 2022. Akasa Air is a low-cost airline and will start flight operations on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route from tomorrow, followed by staggered operations in other cities including Kochi, Bengaluru and Chennai. Akasa Air will deploy the routes’ Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, the first unit of which was received in June this year. The airline had previously ordered 73 Max planes at the Dubai Airshow and will receive the planes over time. The company received its final certificate called Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). We decode what exactly Akasa Air is and what new does it bring to the table?
Akasa Air will operate its first flight on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route and has started accepting bookings for tickets. Apart from these two cities, Akasa Air will also start operations to Bengaluru and Kochi from August 13 and will operate 24 weekly flights connecting these locations. Apart from these 4 locations, Akasa Air has recently announced Chennai as the fifth destination in its network and will start daily flights between Chennai and Mumbai from September 15, 2022.
In addition, the airline has also added a new route between Ahmedabad and Bengaluru, which will start from August 23, 2022. Akasa Air had also announced its daily direct flights between Bengaluru and Mumbai from August 19, 2022.
Akasa Air unveiled the first look of its airline crew uniforms a few days ago, becoming the first Indian airline to offer custom trousers, jackets and sneakers for its in-flight crew. The fabric for the trousers and jacket is designed specifically for Akasa Air using recycled polyester fabric made from pet bottle plastic salvaged from marine waste. Uniform Fit focuses on providing employees with the most stretch to ensure comfort during their busy flight schedules.
Café Akasa will offer a wide choice of fusion cuisine, farm-inspired and plant-based offerings, diverse menu options such as pasta, Vietnamese rice rolls, hot chocolate, and a year-round festive menu inspired by Indian cuisine and celebrations. Akasa Air’s perishable food packaging is sourced from ethically grown sustainable crops. Here’s an example of some of the menu items on their flights:
Middle Eastern Cuisine – Falafel Thali
Vietnamese Cuisine – Rice Paper Rolls
Continental – Bagels, Burgers and Sandwiches
Indian – Kathi Roll (Veg + Non Veg)
Salad – Insta Friendly Salad
Desserts – Pies, Cakes and Puddings
Akasa Air: Code
Akasa Air recently received its code from DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) and it will be called ‘QP’. Unlike Jet Airways, Akasa Air is India’s newest airline, which will resume operations in India with the code 9W.
Akasa Air ordered 72 Boeing 737 MAX planes at the Dubai Air Show last year, with the first to arrive by March 18, 2023 and the remaining 54 over the next four years. The airline recently welcomed its first 737 MAX at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport from Boeing’s facility in Seattle. Earlier, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer Christian Scherer mentioned that Airbus is in talks with Akasa for an aircraft purchase deal.
Akasa Air: Livery
The Boeing 737 MAX aircraft will be wearing the brand’s orange and purple livery, which is new to the Indian market.
Akasa Air: Founders
Akasa Air is backed by veteran investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, who is the co-founder of the latest airline and owns 40% of the company. Former Jet Airways CEO Vinay Dubey will be the CEO of Akasa Air with 15 per cent stake. The brand is also looking to top other industry leaders before commencing operations.