Propelled by winds of growth, Akasa spreads its wings into the boundless blue

Nine months into operations, Akasa Air, the new entrant in the Indian civil aviation sector, has already grabbed a five per cent market share, while adding a record 19 aircraft to its fleet and reaching out to 16 destinations in the country. The airline recently announced an order for four additional Boeing 737-8 jets at the recent Paris Air Show, a follow-up to the already placed order of 72 aircraft taking it to a total of 76 aircraft. For a start-up airline, this indeed is a towering achievement within a short time. To gain more insight, TTJ interacts with Praveen Iyer, CoFounder, and Chief Commercial Officer, and Belson Coutinho, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing and Experience Officer, as they keenly share their viewpoints and some dynamics of India's newest airline.

- Prashant Nayak

India’s aviation sector is witnessing monumental expansion, with airports and airlines adding capacity amidst surging traffic post-pandemic. India is fortifying to handle over 1.3 billion passengers annually in the next 20 years. There are currently 148 airports in the country, and it is the third-largest domestic market in the world in terms of seat capacity. This is indeed an exciting phase that the aviation industry in India is witnessing post-pandemic era.

Commenting on the same, Praveen says, “The fact that India’s aviation industry has unbridled growth potential is exhilarating. The rising growth of India’s middle-class segment, infrastructure development and a supportive policy framework has given a commendable boost to the aviation sector. Since December 2022, the industry has been consistently witnessing over 4 lacs passengers daily, indicating that the demand for air travel is bouncing back with a strong force. The environment is ripe and perfect for airlines to utilise the increasing travel demand and chart out their next phase of growth.”

Adding to the enthusiasm, Praveen reiterates that the Indian aviation market has ample space for multiple airlines to thrive. “Absolutely,” he remarks. “We are one of the most populous countries in the world and yet relatively underserved in terms of airline capacity. According to MOCA’s projection, India is projected to have 40 crore air travellers on domestic and international routes by 2027 and will breach the 50 crore mark by 2030. We need multiple, well-run airlines to fulfil this swell in demand. The Indian aviation sector is extremely promising, with a bright future with unlimited potential ahead and the market is large enough for many carriers to profitably participate,” adds Praveen.