Akasa Air has ordered 72 Boeing 737 MAX Family Aircraft at the Dubai Airshow today. The order is valued at nearly $9.0 Billion at list prices, and the carrier plans on launching service in the fast-growing market in India from summer 2022.
On Tuesday (November 16, 2021), Boeing announced from the Dubai Airshow that India-based airline startup Akasa Air has ordered 72 fuel-efficient Boeing 737 MAX family aircraft to build their fleet. The order includes two MAX variants, the 737-8 and the high-capacity 737-8-200, and is valued at nearly $9.0 billion at list prices. Akasa Air plans on launching commercial flights from summer 2022 and will use their new fleet of 737s to help meet growing demand across India. Akasa Air’s goal is to become the most dependable airline in India with efficient customer service, reliable operations, and affordable airfares. The company hopes to make this a reality through an empathetic and youthful personality, employee-friendly culture, customer service philosophy and a tech-led approach.
In Tuesday’s Dubai Airshow announcement, Akasa Air’s CEO, Vinay Dube, said,
“We are delighted to partner with Boeing for our first airplane order and thank them for their trust and confidence in Akasa Air's business plan and leadership team. We believe that the new 737 MAX airplane will support our aim of running not just a cost-efficient, reliable and affordable airline, but also an environmentally friendly company with the youngest and greenest fleet in the Indian skies. India is one of the fastest-growing aviation markets in the world with an unparalleled potential. We are already witnessing a strong recovery in air travel, and we see decades of growth ahead of us. Akasa Air's core purpose is to help power India's growth engine and democratize air travel by creating an inclusive environment for all Indians regardless of their socio-economic or cultural backgrounds.”
Also commenting on the MAX order, Boeing Commercial Airplanes’ President and CEO, Stan Deal, said,
“We are honored that Akasa Air, an innovative airline focused on customer experience and environmental sustainability, has placed its trust in the 737 family to drive affordable passenger service in one of the world's fastest-growing aviation regions. The 737 MAX, with its optimized performance, flexibility and capability, is the perfect airplane to establish Akasa Air in the Indian market and ensure it effectively grows its network.”
The Boeing 737 MAX Family delivers superior efficiency, flexibility and reliability, while reducing fuel use and emissions by 14 percent, compared to the airplanes it replaces. India’s growing economy and expanding middle-class continues to fuel demand for commercial flights, with Boeing projecting the need for over 2,200 new airplanes in South Asia, valued at nearly $320 billion over the next two decades. Boeing has strengthened their supply chain in India with over 275 partners and a joint venture to manufacture fuselages for Apache helicopters, as well as vertical fin structures for the 737 Family of airplanes. The company employs over 3,000 team members in India, while supporting more than 7,000 additional supply chain partner jobs. Boeing’s annual sourcing from India is approximately $1.0 billion.
Source: Boeing