Jhunjhunwala-backed Akasa Air shares pics of its 1st aircraft, says ‘Can’t keep calm!’ 4.21/5 (14)

Akasa Air, backed by billionaire investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, tweeted pictures of its new aircraft today and stated that it is on track to launch operations by July.

The airline released the photographs of its first Boeing 737 Max plane from the production facility in Portland, US, as it gets ready for delivery.

"The airline recently reaffirmed its commitment of being on track to receive its first aircraft in India by mid-June and launch commercial operations in India by July 2022," its statement said. Akasa Air plans to fly 18 aircraft by the end of March 2023 across domestic routes in the country, focusing on metro to tier-2 and tier-3 cities, it noted.

Last week, the airline said its carrier code with be "QP".

It said the Max aircraft will be powered by the fuel-efficient CFM LEAP B engine. "Providing the lowest seat-mile costs for a single-aisle airplane as well as high dispatch reliability and an enhanced passenger experience, the 737 Max is one of the strategic factors that will give Akasa Air a competitive edge in its dynamic home market," the statement said.

Mr Jhunjhunwala has teamed up with Aditya Ghosh, former CEO of IndiGo, and Vinay Dube, former CEO of Jet Airways, to launch the carrier to tap into demand for domestic air travel.

Last year, Akasa Air placed an order for 72 Boeing 737 MAX jets, valued at nearly $9 billion at list prices.