Aviation Ministry nod to fly Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed Akasa Air
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has given a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the operations of Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed new airline ‘Akasa Air’ in India, a company statement said on Monday. Holding company SNV Aviation Pvt Ltd said the new airline aims to start operations by the summer of 2022. Akasa Air is backed by veteran investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala and former Jet Airways CEO Vinay Dubey.
“We are extremely pleased and grateful for the support of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the grant of NOC,” Akasa Air CEO Dubey said in the statement. “We will continue to work.” With regulatory authorities on all additional compliances required to successfully launch Akasa Air.”
Former IndiGo chairman Aditya Ghosh is also on the board of Akasa Air. The airline plans to operate around 70 aircraft over the next four years.
Airbus is in talks with Akasa for an aircraft purchase deal, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer Christian Scherer told PTI last week. Akasa is in discussions with US aircraft maker Boeing to purchase its B737 MAX planes, multiple media reports said two months ago. Airbus’s A320 series aircraft compete with Boeing’s B737 series aircraft in the aviation market.
Dubey said on Monday, “At Akasa Air, we believe that a strong air transport system is vital for the progress of our country. This belief has driven us to build a modern, efficient, quality conscious airline Is.”
He said that Akasa Air will serve all Indians with warmth, inclusion and respect, regardless of their socio-economic or cultural background. “Because at the end of the day, these are the qualities that connect people and cultures and help Indians realize their dreams,” he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Jhunjhunwala on 5 October, noting that he is very optimistic about the Indian economy. Modi had tweeted, “Just glad to meet Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, vibrant, insightful and very optimistic about India.”
When asked about meeting the PM, Jhunjhunwala without divulging much said that he talked about the economy. “I told the prime minister that the economy is going to pick up,” he had noted.
When asked about his entry into the aviation sector when some companies went bankrupt, Jhunjhunwala replied that he cannot say much, but he is ready for any outcome.
“We’ll see what happens. If it succeeds, I’ll tell you about it, and if it fails, I’ll just say I didn’t do much about it. I take a conscious risk.” I am hopeful and ready for failure,” he had added.
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