Skift India Report: Akasa Air to Fly to South Asian and Middle East Countries
Photo Credit: Akasa Air plans to hire some 500 employees ahead of the international expansion. Flickr / Annie Flodin
Skift Take
After a remarkable year of growth, performance, service, and network expansion, Akasa Air gears up to herald the next chapter of growth with its latest clearance for international routes.
India’s youngest airline Akasa Air is looking to cover the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries, Southeast Asian countries and countries in the Middle East, co-founder Aditya Ghosh told CNBC TV18.
Akasa Air recently added a 20th aircraft to its fleet — making it eligible to fly internationally — with the addition of Boeing 737-8-200.
Planes on Order: The airline is getting high-capacity Dash 200s to chase international demand.
The airline plans to fly internationally later this year with a fleet of 72 Boeing 737 Max aircraft, with intentions to expand to 100 aircraft by 2025. Last month, the carrier ordered four more planes from Boeing, which are to be delivered in the next four years.
It is also looking to add some 500 employees to its workforce ahead of the international expansion.
Pilot Pay: In a race to bring pilots onboard, Akasa Air reportedly raised pilots’ salary by up to 40% — with senior first officers getting $4,145 per month versus the earlier $3,353. Senior captains earn $7,621 per month, up from $7,011.
Ground Transport Propels India’s Growth in Online Travel MarketGround transport is going to be the cornerstone of growth in the Indian online travel market, with the intercity bus category growing at a 21% annual rate.
This segment’s rapid expansion outpaces the overall online travel market’s 18% projected growth rate during the 2023-2026 period, according to a recent report titled ‘India Ground Transportation Market Sizing & OTA Benchmarking Study, FY20-FY
