Akasa Air Eyes Global Expansion, Plans 5-10 New Domestic And International Routes Despite Boeing Delays And DGCA Scrutiny

India’s youngest airline, Akasa Air’s CEO Vinay Dube reaffirmed the airline’s commitment to expansion, stating that Akasa plans to add "5-10 new destinations”, a combination of domestic and international destinations next year, reported The Economic Times.

Speaking to PTI, Dube projected an "incredibly bright" future for the airline over the next three decades, emphasising that minor delays in Boeing deliveries do not impact its "strong and stable" growth platform. 

“It is no secret that Boeing has been delayed in its delivery stream,” he noted, quoted as saying by The Economic Times, adding that whether "one or two aircraft were late or not, is not something that changes the fundamentals of our business."

The airline, backed by the family of the late Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, currently operates 27 Boeing 737 Max planes, securing a 4.6 per cent market share in CY2024.

While Akasa initially inducted 14 aircraft in its first six months and another eight in 2023, deliveries fell to just four last year due to supply-chain issues. Despite this, Dube maintained, "the outlook for the future is incredibly bright."

Akasa Air is strategically positioning itself for long-term sustainability, avoiding two major pitfalls that led to the downfall of past airlines—being "undercapitalised and [having an] uncompetitive cost structure." 

The airline is also ramping up pilot operations, with 60 per cent of its cockpit crew already flying and "the vast majority of the remaining ones" expected to start by year-end. However, he stressed that "it is only dependent on our delivery stream of aircraft."

On regulatory scrutiny, Dube acknowledged recent show-cause notices issued by the DGCA, stating, "Somehow the notices that we get seem to make it into the public eye." 

However, he emphasised that Akasa takes each directive "extremely seriously" and ensures "appropriate changes, not just for that one notice, but... adjacent spaces."

With robust financial backing, a clear expansion strategy, and a proactive regulatory approach, Akasa Air aims to sustain its momentum as India's fastest-growing airline.