Akasa Air granted permission to undertake international flights
The civil aviation ministry has approved Akasa Air's request to launch international flights. According to The Economic Times, the airline is planning to commence its international services, targeting the Middle East region, starting as early as December. The newly-established airline received its 20th B737 Max plane from Boeing on August 1. Three days later, Akasa Air submitted an application to the ministry to be designated as a "scheduled international carrier" so that bilateral traffic rights could be allocated to it.
Pilot resignations lead to flight cancellations
Akasa Air recently faced a crisis when 43 pilots abruptly resigned to join rival airlines, forcing the carrier to cancel 24 flights per day in September. The airline has taken legal action against 40 of these pilots, claiming they did not fulfill their mandatory notice periods, putting the company in a "state of crisis" and at risk of shutting down.
Ministry's approval and DGCA's role
In a letter dated September 11, 2023, the ministry informed Akasa Air's CEO Vinay Dube that the proposal was examined in consultation with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and approved by the competent authority. The letter stated that Akasa Air is eligible to apply for international scheduled air transport services. However, based on traffic rights allocated by the ministry, DGCA will scrutinize country-specific preparedness before permitting Akasa Air to operate scheduled international operations.
Akasa Air's current operations and fleet
Currently, Akasa Air operates about 120 flights per day using exclusively B737 Max planes in its fleet. With permission granted for international flights, the airline is expected to announce its first international destination soon. This development marks a significant milestone for the airline as it navigates through the challenges posed by the sudden departure of a significant number of pilots and aims to expand its operations globally.
