SEATTLE- India’s youngest and greenest carrier, Akasa Air (QP) first Boeing 737 MAX 8-200, has taken off from Boeing Field Airport (BFI) in Seattle and is on the move to its first stop at Reykjavik (KEF) in Iceland.
This is the first time that Indian carriers will operate the high-capacity 737-8-200 variant. This aircraft will be the 20th one to join the QP all-Boeing MAX fleet.
Akasa Air Takes Delivery of 737 MAX 8-200
According to flight tracking website FlightRadar24 data, the Akasa Air flight operating as QP9520 Boeing 737-8-200, took off from BFI at 2:30 AM UTC.
The flight is currently en route to Keflavík International Airport (KEF) in Iceland. It is expected to land for refueling at KEF at 10 AM UTC.
Further, the aircraft will take off again and possibly land at Delhi (DEL) by tomorrow (30 July 2023). The aircraft has the registration VT-YAV, and it is three-year-old aircraft. But in Planspotters.net, it shows four months; that’s probably the date of VT-YAV registration.
Aircraft History
VietJet (VJ) announced last year that it would receive 200 Boeing 737 MAXs for its facilities from 2024. The order included 106 MAX 10s, 66 MAX 8s, and 28 MAX-200s. However, at least one aircraft originally intended for VietJet appears to be en route to India instead.
The aircraft, with test registration N4027G (line 7859), had been designated for VietJet, but it was not accepted and is registered with QP.
About Boeing 737 MAX 200
To cater to the demands of the rapidly expanding low-cost aviation sector, Boeing designed the 737 MAX 200.
This variant will comprise about 35 percent of the single-aisle airline capacity by 2033. Although the core of the single-aisle market will remain at 160 seats, the 737 MAX 200 will offer carriers like Ryanair (FR) the potential to generate revenue from 11 extra seats.
International Operations
With the induction of new aircraft from Boeing, the Indian carrier plans to start internationally by the end of 2023.
Commenting on this, Vinay Dube, CEO of Akasa Air, said, “We will have our first international flight before the end of the year. We’re not constructing a hub. Even today’s Indian airlines don’t make a living off of this. So, while we will build connections over time, we are not considering a hub concept. Many non-metros could also offer international flights.”
According to the airline’s chief commercial officer Praveen Iyer, Akasa Air hopes to begin operating internationally by the end of 2023. It considers Singapore, the Middle East, and the Gulf areas, including Dammam, Qatar, and Oman, as potential destinations.
Air India Express (IX), IndiGo (6E), and SpiceJet (SG) have a strong hold on Gulf routes. Subsequently, Vistara (UK) is catching up with the competition.
Furthermore, as of June 2023, Akasa Air operates flights to and from 16 destinations. Further, it plans to open up new domestic and international destinations with additional aircraft.
Recently, CEO stated that they plan to hire more staff to ramp up its operations. The airline expects to have approximately 3,500 employees by the end of this year.
Feature Image: VT-YAV | Boeing 737-8-200 MAX | Akasa Air | SpotterPowwwiii | JetPhotos
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