Rakesh Jhunjhunwala backed Akasa Air planning to launch in June

After receiving its first Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in April, Akasa Air plans to launch flights in late May or early June to further democratize air travel.

Akasa Air, which is backed by Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, plans to launch its first commercial flight in June, according to Vinay Dube, the airline’s co-founder and CEO.

Dube stated at Wings India 2022 that his airline is working with the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to complete all necessary processes.

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Last October, SNV Aviation Private Limited, which operates Akasa, received a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the government. After obtaining a NOC, it usually takes another six months for an airline to obtain an Air Operator’s Permit (AOP). “We hope to have 18 aircraft on the ground in a year and 12-14 aircraft a year after that,” Dube said.

Akasa, which will operate as a low-cost carrier, has ordered 72 Boeing 737Max aircraft. It expects to receive the first batch of aircraft in the coming months.

The Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed carrier, which is bullish on the country’s civil aviation sector’s long-term growth potential, aims to have 18 planes in its fleet by the end of March 2023.
Despite the fact that COVID clouds continue to cast a shadow on the airlines, Akasa Air CEO Vinay Dube is more than optimistic, claiming that “the long term future of commercial aviation in India is as exciting as anywhere in the world.”

During a video call with PTI, Dube stated that the Indian aviation pie is expanding, and the idea behind Akasa Air is to examine what we are currently facing.