Billionaire Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed Akasa Air, which is set to take off on August 7, unveiled the first look of its ground crew on Friday. Taking to Twitter, India's youngest airline posted a picture of its ground crew and wrote, "Our Ground Crew is here to serve you! #OurFirstAkasa #AkasaCrewLook."
Akasa Air's first commercial flight operations will start on August 7 by operating its first service on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route using Boeing 737 Max aircraft.
In a statement, the carrier said it has opened ticket sales on 28 weekly flights it will be operating on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route from August 7, as well as on 28 weekly flights it will be operating on the Bengaluru-Kochi route from August 13.
The carrier will launch commercial operations with two 737 Max aircraft. Boeing has delivered one Max plane and the second one's delivery is scheduled to take place later this month.
Praveen Iyer, Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer, Akasa Air, said, "We kick-start operations with flights between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, with the brand-new Boeing 737 Max aircraft." "We will adopt a phased approach to support our network expansion plans, progressively connecting more cities, as we add two aircraft to our fleet each month, in our first year," he added.
The carrier had on July 7 received its air operator certificate (AOC) from aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
With the DGCA giving its green light to Max planes in August 2021, Akasa Air signed a deal with Boeing on November 26 last year to purchase 72 Max aircraft.
Earlier in May, the company unveiled its brand logo, tagline, etc.
‘Rising A’ is the brand logo and is inspired by elements from the sky. It symbolises the warmth of the rising sun, the effortless flight of a bird and the dependability of an aircraft wing, the airline said in a release.
The tagline is 'It's Your Sky' and the airline said it is its promise "to embrace everyone and to create an inclusive environment for all Indians regardless of their socio-economic or cultural backgrounds. It is a powerful pledge of ownership, promise, and possibilities that accompany each traveller on their journeys".
The brand colours, ‘Sunrise Orange’ and ‘Passionate Purple’ reflect the airline’s warm, youthful, and respectful nature, the release said.
Vinay Dube, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Akasa Air said the brand identity encapsulates the collective spirit of flying and the individual pursuit of dreams for each of them. “It is our promise to all, regardless of backgrounds or beliefs, that it’s your sky, your dreams, your passions, and your personal journey, and Akasa Air is honoured to be a part of it," he added.
(With PTI inputs)