Latest news with #Akasa
Time of India
14 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Akasa Air inducts 29th aircraft to its fleet
Akasa Air on Monday announced the addition of its 29th aircraft to its fleet, strengthening its position as a key player in the country's aviation sector. The first leg of the delivery flight commenced from Seattle, USA, to Keflavik, Iceland, and concluded with the final leg from Kuwait to Bengaluru, India. Bearing registration number VT-YBG, the Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 aircraft arrived at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru. The induction of this aircraft comes within 33 months of Akasa Air's operations, highlighting Akasa's consistent and strategic approach to scaling with reliability, efficiency, and service excellence at its core. The latest addition to the fleet aligns with the airline's disciplined growth strategy and long-term commitment to serve the Indian skies. The airline's robust fleet growth is backed by a historic order of 226 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, placed within only 17 months of its commercial launch, making it the fastest airline to achieve such a milestone in a short period. With 29 aircraft now operational and 197 more scheduled for delivery over the next eight years, Akasa Air is building one of the youngest and most efficient fleet in the world. The 737 MAX fleet supports the airline's long-term growth plans while delivering 20% better fuel efficiency and a 40% smaller noise footprint, underscoring Akasa Air's commitment to sustainability and operational excellence.
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Sarod damaged on flight, musicians report mishandling woes
1 2 3 4 5 6 Kolkata: Sarod player and composer Arnab Bhattacharya found the oversized bag carrying his sarod broken and the instrument damaged when he reached Abu Dhabi. He travelled from Kolkata to Mumbai and then boarded the flight to Abu Dhabi. The airline, Akasa, expressed regret at the damage and agreed to compensate for the repair costs. The musician has urged the airline to ensure safe carriage of musical instruments in future. "I travelled from Kolkata to Abu Dhabi by Akasa Airlines en route to Tel Aviv where I will perform in four concerts organised by the Indian embassy from Monday to Thursday. When I reached Abu Dhabi on Sunday and got my instrument from the oversized baggage counter, I found the box broken. Inside, the instrument was unlocked and strings were open. There was a crack on the backside of the sarod. The thumba had been unscrewed and was loose," Bhattacharya, a senior disciple of Pt Buddhadev Dasgupta from Senia Shah Jahanpur Gharana, posted on his Facebook account on Sunday. The sarod player, who has performed in over 2,000 concerts since 1997, said the sarod was his identity and that a damage to the instrument was as painful as hurting a limb. "I am representing India in Israel and am stranded with an instrument that is damaged. On Monday morning, I tried to fix it with a screwdriver during the sound check but this should not happen to any musician in future," he told TOI. Bhattacharya urged all musicians to read the fineprint before signing the limited release tag (LRT) that is attached to musical instruments and other non-standard fragile items of luggage that are checked in. The airline clarified that the instrument was checked in under a Limited Release Tag (LRT) which indicates that the item was accepted with certain pre-existing conditions and that the airline assumes limited liability. "Despite the LRT declaration, as a gesture of goodwill Akasa Air has offered compensation for a new case and repairs to the instrument and our customer care team is in touch with the passenger to facilitate it. The matter has been amicably resolved with the customer who has been appreciative of the airline's efforts and swift action," the airline spokesperson said. "At Akasa Air, we deeply value the trust placed in us by our passengers, including members of India's vibrant music community. We remain committed to enabling seamless travel experiences for musicians, as demonstrated by our waiver of all handling charges related to the carriage of musical instruments across our network since October 2023. We sincerely regret any inconvenience caused and remain committed to continuously enhancing our service experience," she added. Several Indian musicians including sarod players Ustad Amjad Ali Khand, Ustad Aashish Khan and Amaan Ali Bangash and sitar exponent Shubhendra Rao who reported damages to their instruments during transit. It has even prompted allegations that airlines did not care about musical instruments in the same way they did while handling sports kits, even an amateur golfer's golf kit. Amaan Ali Bangash, who reported damage to his sarod twice had remarked: "This has been happening frequently. We don't hear of luggage bags being mishandled as much as we do about musical instruments. So many musicians have faced this, and it is so frustrating that airlines do not have any respect for musical instruments."
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Akasa Air expands fleet with 29th aircraft
Akasa Air on Monday announced the addition of 29th aircraft to its fleet with the Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 aircraft, with registration Bearing registration number VT-YBG, arriving at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru. The induction of this aircraft comes within 33 months of Akasa Air's operations. The first leg of the delivery flight commenced from Seattle, USA, to Keflavik, Iceland, and concluded with the final leg from Kuwait to Bengaluru, India. "The latest addition to the fleet aligns with the airline's growth strategy and long-term commitment to serve the Indian skies," the low-cost airline said in a statement. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Join new Free to Play WWII MMO War Thunder War Thunder Play Now Undo Akasa Air has 197 more aircraft scheduled for delivery over the next eight years. In April, ET reported that the airline is aiming to grow its fleet to 30 aircraft by July, underlining the budget carrier's expansion plans after facing a setback due to a protracted delay in delivery of these planes. Live Events Akasa's aircraft deliveries have been delayed due to increased regulatory scrutiny of Boeing's 737 programme after a mid-air cabin panel blowout on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in the US early last year. Of the 446 jets MAX ordered by Indian carriers, only about 65 have been delivered so far. Boeing now plans to supply two aircraft per month. The delays have led to grounding of some Akasa pilots.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Akasa Airlines asks sisters aged 17 and 9 to pay Rs 5,000 in cash, denies boarding until payment is made
A Kolkata-to-Ahmedabad flight turned distressing for two sisters, Mahira (9) and Manyata (17), when Akasa Airlines allegedly demanded ₹5,000 in cash at the check-in counter for the younger child's 'unaccompanied minor' fee. The airline staff refused to accept digital payment and said that 17-year-old Manyata could not be considered an adult to accompany her younger sister. The two were traveling to Ahmedabad to reunite with their mother, a TOI report stated. The airline insisted the payment be made in cash, stating the counter was closed and a QR code could not be generated for UPI. The girls, along with their cousins who were flying on a separate airline, finally managed to pool in funds to pay the amount and were allowed to board. The incident raised questions about the enforcement of unaccompanied minor policies, lack of clarity at the time of booking, and handling by airline staff. Airline did not accept UPI, said 17-year-old not an adult Mahira and Manyata were booked on Akasa flight QP 1926 to Ahmedabad. At the Kolkata airport, the ground staff told them that Mahira needed to pay ₹5,000 as an unaccompanied minor. Though their 17-year-old sister was with her, the airline refused to treat her as a legal adult. According to the girls' family, cousins aged 21—who were checking in on another airline—offered to pay via UPI. However, airline staff declined, saying cash was the only option as 'the counter was closed and no QR code could be generated.' 'They were simply told to pay or miss the flight,' said their mother, Shalini Dugar. 'There was no explanation, no breakdown of charges, and no receipt till the time my elder daughter insisted.' Live Events No prior fee notice during booking or earlier travel The girls were returning from a family vacation in Nepal and had taken a train from Siliguri to Kolkata. They had stayed overnight at their grandmother's house before heading to the airport. The family stated that during the earlier leg of their trip, from Ahmedabad to Bagdogra on April 26, no such fee had been imposed. 'At the time of booking, we were never told about the unaccompanied minor fee . In fact, kids above 12 years are shown as adults on the booking page,' said Pearl Choradia, the girls' aunt. 'When the kids said they didn't have cash, they were denied a boarding pass. The cousins, who had completed check-in, offered UPI, but the airline refused.' The children eventually collected the amount and paid in cash, after which Mahira was issued a boarding pass. Family alleges lack of documentation and verification Under Indian airline rules, children aged 5–12 traveling alone may be charged an unaccompanied minor fee. A form must be filled at the time of check-in, naming the adult who will receive the child at the destination. However, in this case, the family alleged that no form was provided and no ID verification was done at the Ahmedabad airport. 'We have no problem in paying the fee if it's legitimate and announced in advance at the time of booking. But we demand an explanation, apology, refund, and disciplinary action against the staff who caused emotional distress and trauma to my daughters,' said Shalini, who lost her husband a year and a half ago. Airline response awaited The family said the children had decided to travel without their mother due to personal circumstances. 'It was a decision born out of necessity and resilience. However, the traumatic experience they faced has left them deeply shaken,' said Choradia. As per the TOI report, Akasa Airlines has not yet responded to queries sent till Friday evening. Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Akasa plans 50 departures from Navi Mumbai: CEO
Akasa Air is set to operate 50 flights from the upcoming Navi Mumbai airport, with an initial 15 departures including both domestic and international routes. CEO Vinay Dube anticipates Akasa Air having the largest percentage of its network based out of the new airport. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Mumbai: Akasa Air plans to operate 50 flights from the upcoming Adani-backed Navi Mumbai airport , starting off with about 15 departures which will be a combination of both domestic and international, said Vinay Dube , its chief executive Navi Mumbai airport is expected to open by the end of August, although the exact date is yet to be finalised. Dube claimed Akasa Air would be the airline with the most number of flights from there."I'm sure there'll be others, but I don't believe there'll be any other airline in India, or in fact the world, that would have a larger percentage of their network based out of Navi Mumbai Airport as compared to Akasa," Dube told reporters at a virtual roundtable on Bansal, CEO of Adani Airports Holdings Limited , said in a press statement, "Their rapid growth and forward-looking approach make them an ideal partner in NMIA's journey to becoming a key domestic and international hub."Budget carrier Akasa operates some 32 flights from Mumbai daily. "In Mumbai, we have close to 32 departures today and Navi Mumbai, we expect to take that up to about 75 to 80 odd departures as we exit winters. That's how significant this is for us," said airline will continue to maintain these flights with "no plans to consolidate operations", Dube said. The carrier will also focus on connecting tier-II cities through its Navi Mumbai Air is the second airline to sign an agreement with Navi Mumbai airport. IndiGo , which will be the first to commence flights from the new airport, plans to start with over 18 daily departures to 15 cities from day one of the airport's opening and aims to increase operations to 79 departures by Air will start with over 100 weekly domestic departures, scaling up to more than 300 domestic and 50 international departures per week in the winter schedule. The airline plans to expand to 10 parking bases by the end of FY27, focusing on international growth in key Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian said the airline will have a mix of prime slots as well as slots spread across the day.
