NEW DELHI: Although Akasa Air has already placed a definite order for 72 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, the low-cost carrier intends to order over 100 additional aircraft in the near future.

After six months of service, Akasa Air has a fleet size of 17 aircraft, has flown over a million people since its inception in August 2022, and continues to receive one aircraft every 15 days.

In order to make travel in India more accessible, Akasa Air has been gradually expanding its network across the nation by adding routes to Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns.

By the end of March, the fleet will consist of 18 aircraft, which the firm recently got as its 17th aircraft. The airline will add 54 more planes over the following four years, bringing its fleet up to 72 overall.

Vinay Dube, the founder and CEO of Akasa Air, indicated that the company will place a sizable order for aircraft before the end of the year, bringing the fleet size to three digits, without giving a specific figure.

"We will carry on to strengthen our network and service offerings and extend an unmatched travel experience to our passengers. Bangalore  being our first home is special in many ways, and we are proud of the growing connectivity we are able to offer from the city.

"Since we plan our next phase of expansion to serve India's increasing travel demands, both domestic and international, we remain committed to our focus of connecting people, cultures and cities highlighted by our warm, efficient and inclusive customer service," he said.

More than 700 flights per week are being run by the airline across 14 domestic destinations, including Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Chennai, Cochin, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Agartala, Goa, Vizag, Pune, Lucknow, Hyderabad, and Varanasi, six months after it began operations.

Akasa Air is the third-largest domestic airline in the city, with 36 daily flights from Bangalore. The airline has transported 0.5 million people from the city in total, which accounts for 70% of all passengers transported over its network to date.

The airline has greatly increased its operations from Bangalore in response to the rising demand for air travel to and from the city, now connecting it with daily flights to 12 locations all over the country.

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