Akasa Air will launch commercial operations on August 7 with its first service on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route. The airline has inducted two Boeing 737 Max aircraft for its initial runs from Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, and Kochi.

It is expected to add more routes as it adds capacity. Boeing has already delivered one plane while the second one is scheduled for delivery later this month. Akasa Air has begun ticket sales for 28 flights, operating weekly on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route from August 7. It will operate 28 flights on the Bengaluru-Kochi route from August 13.

“We kickstart operations with flights between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, with the brand-new Boeing 737 Max aircraft,” co-founder and chief commercial officer Praveen Iyer said. “We will adopt a phased approach to support our network expansion plans, progressively connecting more cities, as we add two aircraft to our fleet each month, in our first year.”

Civil aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation granted Akasa Air its air operator certificate on July 7. Akasa Air inked a deal with Boeing in November to purchase 72 Boeing Max aircraft following a green signal from the regulator in August.

Akasa Air promotes itself as an ultra-low-cost airline. In the launch phase, it is competing with existing low-fare airlines. Its fares on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route are around INR 500- INR 600 lower than the lowest fares offered by other airlines. Akasa Air plans to launch its international service in the second half of 2023.

(Source: FE)