After a poor start at the Dubai Airshow, Boeing has finally announced a significant order for its commercial aircraft. New Indian carrier Akasa Air has signed a deal with US planemaker for 72 737 MAX jets.
The order also includes the high-density version 737-8-200 which debuted this year by Ryanair and is capable of carrying around 200 passengers.
Boeing has not revealed when deliveries will begin to take place, but Akasa Air plans to start operations in India in 2022. The company was founded by billionaire Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, owner of SNV Aviation, and who has recruited executives from Jet Airways and IndiGo, the largest carrier from the country.
“We are delighted to partner with Boeing for our first airplane order and thank them for their trust and confidence in Akasa Air’s business plan and leadership team. We believe that the new 737 MAX airplane will support our aim of running not just a cost-efficient , reliable and affordable airline, but also an environmentally friendly company with the youngest and greenest fleet in the Indian skies,” said Vinay Dube, CEO of Akasa Air and who ran Jet Airways until 2019, when the company went bankrupt.
The deal with Akasa Air is valued at nearly $9bn in list prices and is a response to Airbus’ dominance of the Indian market.
