Akasa Air plans to add more Boeing 737 MAX planes to its fleet this fiscal year and is discussing delivery schedules with Boeing. The airline currently has 26 aircraft and 200 more on order. The airline had a successful 2024 and aims to contribute to this growth. Akasa Air focuses on excellent customer service and employee well-being.
The airline's chief, Vinay Dube, has said that Akasa Air is continuously discussing aircraft deliveries with Boeing and expects to add a few more planes to its fleet in the current fiscal year ending March 2025. The carrier, which started flying in August 2022, has a fleet of 26 Boeing 737 MAX planes, and 200 aircraft are on order. In a recent interview, Dube said that 2024 has been a good year for the airline and will continue to build on it in 2025. I think consumers look at Akasa as a kind and gentler airline, a little more empathetic of the service excellence we have provided. We will continue to treat our travellers in a kind, gentle manner," he said, adding that the airline also ensures its employees feel loved and respected.
Earlier this month, some pilots flagged concerns about alleged training and safety issues, and the airlines had rejected them as baseless and untrue. This year, the carrier has inducted four planes into its fleet. When asked whether there are any concerns regarding aircraft deliveries, Dube said there are no supply chain issues at Akasa Air and that the airline has a great relationship with Boeing. We are in continuous discussions with Boeing. We are continuously discussing aircraft deliveries with Boeing. We continue to work with them regarding expectations on how and when aircraft are delivered," the airline's Founder and CEO said. On whether a few more aircraft deliveries can be expected in the current fiscal Dube said, "We can but not giving guidance on how many". Akasa Air, in January this year, announced an order for 150 Boeing planes comprising 737 MAX 10 and 737 MAX 8 200 jets; Akasa Air placed its initial order of 72 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, and it was followed up with an order of 4 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft in June 2023 regarding reports the airline is looking to raise funds Dube said there are no comments on such things.
Financially, we are ahead of our plans. The company is doing better than we anticipated and expected in our plan, which is very encouraging. We are a well-capitalised airline and will continue to be a well-capitalised airline," he emphasised. Amid concerns in certain quarters about a virtual duopoly in the Indian aviation market, the Akasa Air chief said the airline does not have the luxury of being concerned about many things it does not control. It is a waste of time to think about things you do not have control over; we have control over how we can serve our consumers. We have control over the liability of the airline. We control how we train our people to display kindness and empathy. That is what we are concerned out…" he noted.
IndiGo and Air India Group had more than 91 percent of the domestic market's share in October, while Akasa Air's share stood at 4.4 percent.
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