BENGALURU- Today (August 28, 2023), India’s youngest and greenest carrier, Akasa Air (QP), and Asia’s first high-intensity Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 made its maiden commercial flight.
The Vinay Dube lead airline deployed 737 MAX 8-200 for the first time on a commercial flight after making adjustments to its seating configurations and necessary pre-service maintenance.
Asia’s First 737 MAX 8-200 Maiden Flight
Akasa Air deployed its 20th aircraft to operate the flight as QP1323. Further, the flight took off from Bengaluru Airport (BLR) on time at 9:21 A.m. It remained airborne for around three hours and landed safely at Guwahati Airport (GAU) at around 12:25 P.m.
Note: The Times mentioned above is in Local Time (IST).
Subsequently, the aircraft will make its second flight of the day from Guwahati to Agartala (IXA) before returning back to base at Bengaluru. The aircraft has the registration VT-YAV.
Delivery Flight
Akasa Air (QP) welcomed the country’s and Continents’s first Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 type aircraft on August 1, 2023.
Subsequently, the airline celebrated this milestone and shared some highlights on its social media pages.
Further, the airline on Twitter (Now X) wrote, “Thrilled to welcome our 20th aircraft in Bengaluru today! This landmark addition to our fleet makes us the first airline in Asia to receive the Boeing 737-8-200 aircraft. #20AndCounting #ItsYourSky“
737 MAX Upgrades
Aviation A2Z’s exclusive source said that the plane arrived from Bengaluru (BLR) to HYD on August 9, 2023. Further, GMR, one of the country’s leading MROs, has a contract with Akasa Air to carry out such modifications.
The source mentioned that the aircraft is undergoing multiple changes and includes,
- The installation of Mid Exit doors
- New updates to the aircraft air distribution system
- The positioning of Aft Galleys and lavatory
- Avionics software upgrades
- Cabin overhaul
- Seat adjustments according to Akasa Air Standards
- Pre-tasks related to return to service
- Fuel nozzle replacement
These are some of the brief changes that will take around a week to be completed. After this, it is likely to enter into service.
Akasa Air has reconfigured its Boeing 737 MAX fleet, aiming to replace the 12 spacious seats at the front of the cabin with its standard economy class seating.
Further, this adjustment comes as a response to supply chain constraints, leading to 11 out of its 20 aircraft being outfitted with broader and more comfortable seats.
The unique configuration of these aircraft entails three rows at the front, set in a 2×2 arrangement, offering enhanced legroom.
Subsequently, these premium seats, which come with an additional charge of ₹3,500, have been favorably received by passengers. However, the airline has chosen to maintain its consistent 189-seat configuration across all its aircraft.
International Destinations
The airline eyes the Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian cities to start initial international operations.
In a recent conversation with India’s CNBC-TV18, Aditya Ghosh, co-founder of Akasa Air, provided further insights into the airline’s global expansion plans.
“We have achieved a remarkable pace in India’s aviation industry, becoming the fastest airline to venture into international operations. Our target range of five to six hours aligns perfectly with our aircraft type and the demand landscape in the SAARC countries, Middle East, and Southeast Asia.”
Aditya Ghosh, co-founder of Akasa Air
While Ghosh didn’t specify the precise Middle Eastern countries in focus, the airline has been actively exploring international opportunities this year.
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