Taking off into the beautiful skies over Seattle in the USA, an all-woman pilot crew was honoured with taking the delivery of and flying home India’s fastest growing new airline Akasa Air’s landmark 25th aircraft – a Boeing 737 MAX.
Having received the delivery of the aircraft from the Boeing company at Seattle on September 9, Captain Bhavna Gandhi and Captain Sanaya Chothia piloted it all the way to land at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad on September 12.
The first leg of the women-led delivery flight commenced from Seattle, USA, to Keflavik, Iceland, and concluded with the final leg from Larnaca, Cyprus, to Hyderabad.
Along with those of its star women pilots, the airlines proudly shared stunning pictures of the midair journey on its official ‘X’ handle to celebrate the landmark event.
In a press release issued on the occasion, Akasa Air claimed that within two years of its inception in August 2022, the Airline continues to be the fastest growing in the history of global aviation.
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It informed further that in 2021, Akasa Air placed its initial order of 72 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, which was followed up with an order of four Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft in June 2023. In January 2024, the airline placed another landmark order of 150 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, becoming the first Indian airline to reach an order book of 226 aircraft within 17 months of commencing operations.
The airline has now taken delivery of 25 aircraft and is on track to receive deliveries of another 201 aircraft over the next eight years, the release added.
Akasa Air has expressed confidence that the airline’s strong foundational growth trajectory has put it on course to be one of the top 30 airlines in the world by the turn of the decade.
Sharing details of the airline’s operations since its launch in August 2022, the press release said Akasa Air has served over 11 million passengers and is connected with 27 cities, namely Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi, Delhi, Guwahati, Agartala, Pune, Lucknow, Goa, Hyderabad, Varanasi, Bagdogra, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Port Blair, Ayodhya, Gwalior, Srinagar, Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, Doha, Jeddah, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi and Kuwait.
About Akasa Air
Akasa Air claims to be India’s most dependable airline, offering warm and efficient customer service, reliable operations, and affordable fares – all in the Akasa Way. Akasa’s youthful personality, employee-centric philosophy, tech-led approach, and culture of service make this commitment a reality for all Indians.
The carrier launched its first commercial flight on 07 August 2022 to support the growing demand across India. It commenced international operations on 28 March 2024, offering non-stop flights from Mumbai to Doha. This milestone made it the first Indian airline to fly overseas within a record period of just 19 months.
With a clear focus on sustained, long-term growth, Akasa Air has placed a firm order of 226 Boeing 737 MAX airplanes, powered by CFM fuel-efficient, LEAP-1B engines. It currently operates 25 737 MAX aircraft which deliver superior efficiency in reducing fuel use and carbon emissions.
The aircraft also powers a quieter cabin with 40 per cent less noise fulfilling the airline’s promise of being an environmentally progressive company with the youngest and greenest fleet in the Indian skies.
For more information visit www.akasaair.com
or via X: @AkasaAir
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/akasaair/