Vinay Dube, Founder and CEO of Akasa Air during a press conference after completing six months of operations in Bengaluru on March 1, 2023. , Photo Credit: PTI
Late Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed Akasha Air, the new entrant in the Indian civil aviation sector, said it will start international operations by the end of calendar 2023 to destinations matching the capacity of the Boeing 737 Max.
Vinay Dubey, Founder and CEO, Akasa Air said this Hindu in Bengaluru that the airline will start international flights by the end of this year and is currently in the process of evaluating location options based on max capacity.
“We are exploring the destinations Max has been able to hit. Our global services could be anywhere in the Middle East, Nepal, East Coast of Africa, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh or many other destinations. So far we don’t know where, but the ideal could be in the five-hour flight range,” he indicated.
To explore international routes, airlines have to apply to the government and traffic and route rights are assigned to airlines based on existing bilateral treaties between India and the new proposed flight destination(s).
According to Mr. Dubey, Akasa Air has already placed orders for 72 aircraft worth $9 billion, of which 18 have been delivered while the rest will be received by March 2027.
“In addition to the existing order for 72 aircraft, we will place new orders in triple digits by the end of this year to support our incremental growth in the business. This will be a huge order and will include narrow bodies/small aircraft which are suitable for Tier 2 cities,” he added.
travel outlook incredibly bright
The future for travel was incredibly bright, and domestic travel had already recovered to pre-pandemic levels, while the international market was yet to fully recover, Mr. Dubey observed.
“It’s difficult to give micro forecasts, but macro forecasts are something we’re counting on for ordering a hell of a lot of aircraft. The future for the travel industry is going to be incredibly bright,” he said.
Elaborating on Akasa Air’s focus on technology, Mr. Dubey said, “Tech is very near and dear to our hearts. We are a zero legacy and 100% cloud airline. We have employed the best of technologies to enhance the digital experience of our passengers.