Akasa Air Places Massive Boeing 737 MAX Order

In a major win for Boeing, India’s Akasa Air has placed an order for 150 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. The announcement signals the first Boeing 737 MAX order since the door plug blowout and subsequent decompression event on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 MAX in early January.

Details: Akasa Air’s Boeing 737 MAX Order

Akasa Air has placed a firm order for 150 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, in a deal that was revealed at the WINGS India 2024 airshow in Hyderabad. The purchase consists of the high-density Boeing 737-8-200 variant and the Boeing 737-10 MAX.

The order will add to the 54 Boeing 737 MAX jets that the airline already has on Boeing’s order book. Founded in 2021, the Mumbai-based airline operates an all-Boeing fleet of 22 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to approximately 15 destinations in India. The carrier’s fleet currently consists of 21 Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft and a single Boeing 737-8-200 MAX jet.

“This large and historic aircraft order puts Akasa on a path of becoming one of the top 30 leading airlines in the world by the turn of this decade,” Akasa’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Vinay Dube, said at the airshow.

“Akasa’s remarkable growth testifies the sheer promise that India holds as an aviation market, and we are thrilled to be a part of this journey,” Dube added.

A Show of Confidence in Boeing

Public opinion and regulator confidence in the Boeing has dropped significantly since the latest Boeing 737 MAX incident. On January 5, 2024, an a door plug on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 MAX blew out shortly after takeoff, leading to an explosive decompression and a subsequent grounding of the aircraft type. Akasa’s order does not include the Boeing 737-9 MAX.

The fallout from the latest incident added to residual distrust in the aircraft type among some travelers left over from two fatal Boeing 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019. These fatal incidents led to a yearslong worldwide grounding of the 737 MAX.

While Akasa’s latest order was quietly finalized last month, the announcement is still a major confidence boost for Boeing. Speaking to Reuters, Akasa’s Chief Legal, Regulatory and Strategic Relations Officer, Priya Mehra, said that the airline felt “very confident” about the Boeing 737 MAX.

“This milestone demonstrates the strength of our partnership with Akasa Air and is a testament to the capabilities of the 737 MAX family to further the airline’s operational priorities,” said Stephanie Pope, Boeing’s Chief Operating Officer, in a press release. “The efficiency and versatility of the 737-10 and 737-8-200 will support Akasa Air’s expansion to meet soaring demand for air travel in the region for many years to come.”

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Andrew Chen

Andrew is a lifelong lover of aviation and travel. He has flown all over the world and is fascinated by the workings of the air travel industry. As a private pilot and glider pilot who has worked with airlines, airports and other industry stakeholders, he is always excited to share his passion for aviation with others. In addition to being a writer, he also hosts Flying Smarter, an educational travel podcast that explores the complex world of air travel to help listeners become better-informed and savvier travelers.

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