Akasa Air likely to get its first aircraft only in June, July

Akasa Air is expected to receive its first aircraft only in June or July as the airline's launch of services is expected to be delayed, according to a senior DGCA official.

The carrier, backed by the ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, originally planned to start operations in June and then postponed the plan to July.

A top airline official said it intends to start services in July.

A Mumbai-based airline, registered as SNV Aviation, received a mandatory no-objection certificate from the civil aviation ministry in October last year.

Once the aircraft is inducted, the airline has to conduct a set of successful proving flights.

The Akasa Air aircraft delivery is expected to come around June July. A DGCA official told PTI that all procedures are on track.

When contacted, it said it was expecting to get the first aircraft by mid-June and intends to begin commercial operations in July.

Our first aircraft delivery is expected to be completed by mid-June 2022. The proving flights will be held as per regulatory requirements prior to the AOP Air Operator Permit receipt, according to the Founder, Vinay Dube, in a statement to the PTI.

He said the airline intends to start commercial operations in July 2022 and that the airline is on course for later aircraft inductions to fly 18 aircraft by the end of March 2023.

A proving flight, which can originate from one airport and fly to another airport, is part of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation's process for the induction of a new aircraft type in an airline's fleet. It consists of five sectors legs with a total block time of 10 hours or more.

This may include a diversion to an alternate airport or destination.