Aviation Market Big Enough for Akasa Air to Succeed, Says CEO Vinay Dube
- ByStartupStory | July 1, 2024
As Akasa Air spreads its wings on both domestic and international routes, the less-than-two-year-old airline’s chief, Vinay Dube, has expressed confidence in the airline’s success, emphasizing that the aviation market is “big enough for us to succeed”. The carrier, which commenced operations in August 2022, currently boasts a fleet of 24 Boeing 737 MAX planes and operates over 900 flights weekly.
Dube underscored the airline’s commitment to service excellence and cost leadership while outlining plans for network and international expansion. “I don’t think about competition and certainly don’t think about it in encouraging or discouraging terms. If we focus on ourselves, the market is big enough for us to succeed,” he told PTI in a recent interview.
In response to a query about whether the current competition is encouraging, Dube said, “We don’t spend so much time focused on what competition is doing unless we have things we can learn from… what can be improved upon… there is no other word than competition… good, bad, slow, fast, encouraging, discouraging, it is just competition”.
India is one of the world’s fastest-growing civil aviation markets, with carriers rapidly expanding their operations and fleets. In May, Akasa Air held a domestic market share of 4.8 percent. The airline currently flies to Doha and Riyadh in the international segment and will commence services to Abu Dhabi on July 11. Additionally, ticket sales for Jeddah have started, and the airline has obtained traffic rights for Kuwait and Medina.
Akasa Air offers a range of ancillary services, including allowing pets on board flights. Dube emphasized the airline’s focus on providing choices to customers. “Ancillaries are provided for choices. We don’t want someone who doesn’t want food (to) subsidise the person who wants food. We don’t think it is fair. Someone wants a combo, and they are willing to pay, sure. If they want one item, they want one item.”
Currently, Akasa Air employs over 4,000 individuals. While the hiring of pilots has been paused, Dube assured that the airline has sufficient pilots for its current fleet. “We have got plenty of pilots for our current fleet. We are going to pause hiring, and at some point in time, we will start rehiring. People think there is a pilot shortage, and we have got plenty of pilots. We have been able to attract and retain pilots, and our focus now is making them happy. We will restart hiring at some point.”
Looking ahead, more than 200 aircraft are expected to join the airline’s fleet over the next eight years. Akasa Air has placed a firm order for 226 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. Addressing concerns about pilot fatigue, Dube highlighted the airline’s proactive measures. “Building sensible rosters, managing and monitoring pilot fatigue, highest standards… these are things we are fully invested in. We will continue our own thinking and our own efforts.”
Earlier this month, Akasa Air co-founder Aditya Ghosh shared that the carrier is on track to profitability. Ghosh emphasized the importance of building a financially sustainable business alongside a customer-focused and employee-centric organization. “I think at Akasa we are on track to profitability… We are steadfastly focused on it… we have seen greater operational reliability, best on time, lowest customer complaints, highest load factors, lowest cancellations…”
Follow Startup Story
Related Posts
