NEW DELHI: India's latest airline Akasa Air's first Boeing 737 Max took off from Seattle in the United States and landed at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on Tuesday.
According to the airline, which is backed by Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, the arrival of the aircraft makes it closer to obtaining the Air Operator's Permit (AOP) required to start commercial operations in the country. Vinay Dube, founder, managing director & chief executive officer, of Akasa Air, said, "The arrival of our first aircraft is a very happy moment for all of us & marks an important milestone, bringing us closer to our vision of building India's greenest, most dependable, and most affordable airline".
The airline took delivery of its first 737 MAX aircraft from Boeing in Seattle last week. In November 2021, Akash signed a $ 9 billion deal with a US-based aircraft major to buy 72 MAX aircraft including 18 aircraft by March 2023 and the remaining 54 aircraft over the next four years. These aircrafts will be powered by a fuel-efficient CFM LEAP B engine, the New Indian Express reported.
In August 2021, the Ministry of Civil Aviation had given Akasa the no-objection certificate to begin commercial flight operations.