Startup carrier Akasa Air to take off in July

Mumbai: Domestic startup carrier Akasa Air on Monday said its first aircraft is being given final touches at the Boeing Portland facility in the US, which is expected to be delivered to the airline by mid-next month.

Ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed Akasa Air in a release also said that it is on track to launch its commercial operations by July.

The airline plans to fly 18 aircraft by the end of March 2023 across domestic routes in the country, focusing on metro to tier -II/III cities, a release said.

The Mumbai-based carrier received a non-objection certificate from the Civil Aviation Ministry in October last year.

Last November the company signed a USD 9-billion deal with US aircraft major Boeing for 72 Boeing 737 Max planes in two variants—737-8 and the high-capacity 737-8-200. These planes will be powered by the fuel-efficient CFM LEAP B engine.

The 737 MAX is one of the strategic factors that will give Akasa Air a competitive edge in its dynamic home market, the airline said.