November 2, 2025

Hold on tight because Akasa Air is ready to spread its wings far and wide! The three-year-old airline’s CEO and founder, Vinay Dube, has thrilling news. Akasa Air may soon start flights to Kenya, Ethiopia, Egypt, and some new countries. Dube said, “Our aircraft are capable of hitting the shores of East Africa, absolutely it can go to Mauritius and on the southern side, it can go to Kenya, Ethiopia, Egypt... We can (also) go into Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan... Boeing 737 MAX is also capable of going deep into South Asia..., All will be considered.” You heard it right — their Boeing 737 MAX planes are ready for these long-haul adventures! Currently, Akasa Air flies to six international cities — Doha, Jeddah, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait City, and Phuket — plus 24 Indian cities. About 20% of their Available Seat Kilometres (ASK), meaning passenger capacity, is international, and they aim to increase this to 30% by March 2027. That’s a big leap! The airline boasts a fleet of 30 Boeing 737 MAX planes and expects to add “more than one aircraft” this year. Good news also comes in the form of smoother plane deliveries. Dube said, “We feel very good about our delivery schedule, we have more predictability.” Recently, the US Federal Aviation Administration gave Boeing the green light to increase production of the MAX jets from 38 to 42 per month, which will help Akasa Air get its planes faster. Pilot hiring is also on the cards. Akasa Air has around 750-775 pilots and plans to restart recruitment of first officers in 2026. “We will have a need for pilots in the second half of next year. So, we will have to restart the (hiring) process well before that,” Dube explained. Akasa Air is not just growing in size but also in partnerships. It currently has a codeshare deal with Etihad Airways — which means smoother booking and travel for passengers. More codeshare and interline partnerships are expected in the next financial year, helping the airline become an even stronger player in the skies. Addressing some regulatory concerns, Dube was clear: “We had observations like every airline had observations as part of routine audits. All of these observations have been addressed to the satisfaction of the regulator and there is no cause for safety concern at all.” Safety first, always! On the money front, Akasa Air is well-funded and ready for future growth. The CEO said the airline might look at an Initial Public Offering (IPO) within two to five years. Earlier, they raised funds from investors such as Premji Invest and Claypond Capital to boost operations. What about big planes and fancy cabins? Dube says the airline keeps checking options for wide-body and regional aircraft but will only go for it if it makes strong economic sense. For now, Akasa Air flies economy class only, keeping things simple and smart. In short, Akasa Air is soaring higher, with fresh international routes, more jets on the way, pilot hiring soon, and promising partnerships. The clouds are looking bright for this young airline!

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Tags: Akasa air, Boeing 737 Max, International flights, Fleet expansion, Pilot Hiring, Codeshare Partnerships,