Akasa Air remains confident about the timely delivery of its ordered Boeing 737 MAX jets, despite concerns surrounding the US manufacturer’s production schedule amid intense scrutiny after a mid-air incident this year.
In January, India’s newest airline announced a substantial order for 150 Boeing 737s, signaling its strong focus on expanding its international operations. This announcement came days after an Alaska Air flight experienced a mid-air cabin panel blowout.
Akasa Air CEO confident in Boeing delivery schedule
Vinay Dube, founder and CEO of Akasa, on Wednesday (March 20) assured that the airline is closely monitoring the update with Boeing. “We’re in very, very close touch with Boeing. Our delivery schedule is as per the expectations and agreements that we develop with them,” Vinay Dube said.
It may be noted that while Akasa’s order does not include the 737 Max 9 variant, which was involved in the incident, ongoing internal and external investigations in the US have raised concerns regarding potential delays in the delivery timeline of other variants of Boeing’s 737 jetliner programme.
Akasa’s fleet comprises 24 Boeing aircraft
Furthermore, it is pertinent to note that the airline’s fleet comprises 24 Boeing aircraft out of a total order of 226, slated for delivery over an eight-year period. Dube refrained from providing a detailed breakdown of deliveries per year.
The airline is all slated to launch its first international flight from Mumbai to Doha on March 28, marking the beginning of its expansion into Middle Eastern destinations such as Kuwait, Riyadh, and Jeddah, followed by routes to Southeast Asian countries.
“International revenues tend to hold up a little better over a period of time. You’d see us be a little more aggressive on international flights than perhaps other airlines have historically been,” he added.
Akasa Air versus IndiGo
Akasa faces competition from IndiGo, which placed a record order for 500 Airbus narrowbody planes, surpassing Air India’s recent purchase of 470 combined jets from Airbus and Boeing.
These airlines are capitalising on the anticipated growth in Indian air travel, despite challenges such as pilot shortages and financial constraints faced by other carriers like Go First and SpiceJet. In India, Dube said, “the biggest challenge is running a good airline.”