Akasa Air’s all-women pilot crew bring home its 25th Boeing 737 MAX aircraft

PUNE: Two women pilots Captain Bhavna Gandhi and Captain Sanaya Chothia received delivery of Akasa Air’s 25^th aircraft in Seattle on September 9.
The first leg of the women-led delivery flight commenced from Seattle, USA, to Keflavik, Iceland, and concluded with the final leg from Larnaca, Cyprus, to Hyderabad, India. Bearing the registration number VT-YBB, the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft arrived at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad on September 12.
In 2021, Akasa Air placed its initial order of 72 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, which was followed by an order of four Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft in June 2023. In January 2024, the airline placed another landmark order of 150 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, becoming the first Indian airline to reach an order book of 226 aircraft within 17 months of commencing operations.
The airline has now taken delivery of 25 aircraft and is on track to receive deliveries of another 201 aircraft over the next eight years.
With this milestone, Akasa Air continues to be the fastest-growing airline in the 122-year-old history of civil aviation, propelling its vision to be a carrier that transcends generations. The airline’s strong foundational growth trajectory has put it on course to be one of the top 30 airlines in the world by the turn of the decade, airline officials said.
The delivery flight is a testament to Akasa’s commitment towards championing diversity in the flight deck and continuing to be a forerunner in the aviation industry in this respect. Alongside, the 737 MAX family provides greater range and fuel efficiency, reducing fuel use and carbon emissions by 20% compared to those it replaces, reinforcing the airline’s commitment to sustainability. In addition, the 737 MAX is a quieter airplane with a 40% smaller noise footprint than replacement airplanes, officials added.