The last week of June 2022 has been selected for the first test flight of Akasa Air. India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation will embark on a proving trip with the airline. This historic moment will be one of the last preparatory steps required to ensure the airline's launch in late July.
Ready for takeoff
After years of preparation, Akasa Air is drawing near to its long anticipated launch. The expected launch date has been pushed back multiple times for the Indian start-up. Now the airline has its sights set on late July 2022 to begin formal commercial operations. First, it must prove to the world that it is ready to dive into the dangerous and competitive world of aviation.
At the end of June, Akasa Air is scheduled to conduct its proving flight. This is not the same as an inaugural flight or maiden voyage because it will not be operating commercially for profit. It is a test flight where the Directorate of Civil Aviation for the state of India will assess the airworthiness of the airline.
It is presumed that if all goes well on this proving flight, the airline will receive its air operator's certificate allowing them to operate commercially within Indian airspace. Within two to three weeks, it hopes to begin selling tickets and securing airport slots.
Breaking into the market
The aviation transportation market is expensive and competitive. Akasa has devised a strategy to squeeze its way into this cutthroat world. It plans to start flying domestic flights only. Avoid using major hubs and instead focus on flying point to point between cities of varying sizes. Chief Executive Officer for Akasa Air Vinay Dube elaborated on this matter by saying,
“We don’t believe in the hub concept. Akasa’s network will be focusing on flights from Indian metro cities to tier two and tier three cities,”
While the new carrier is primarily focused on the launch of the domestic operation in 2022, it plans to launch international operations during the second half of 2023.
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Fleet and staff are standing by
The Boeing 737 MAX will be a quintessential piece of this airline. By the end of next year, Akasa Air plans to operate nearly 100 737 MAX aircraft. However, only recently the first 737 MAX was delivered to Akasa from Boeing. Amid shortages, it is taking manufacturers significantly longer than expected to deliver promised aircraft.
Vinay Dube informed the public that the aviation industry in India is projected to attain substantial growth over the next few decades. He mentioned that this large number of aircraft being brought into the market is not likely to oversupply the demand. He went on to say,
“I don’t think India has excess supply — India will need 1,000 planes over the next 20 years. The pie is growing faster in India,”
Akasa Air reports that it has sufficient crew for a full-scale launch. It owns and operates a crew training center located in Delhi. Through this training center, Akasa has ensured that over 100 pilots are qualified and ready to fly as soon as the green light is given. The exact numbers of flight attendants and mechanics, as well as ground personnel, have not been specified, but the airline ensures that is sufficiently staffed for launch.
This upcoming week Akasa Air will be given the chance to prove that all the hard work and determination of its staff was worth it. With crews ready to go and aircraft deliveries underway, the skies look bright for Akasa Air. If all goes according to plan, a month from now, passengers will be able to fly across India in some of the youngest and most efficient aircraft in the world.
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Source: Bollyinside