Akasa Air, an Indian airline, has introduced its inaugural international service, linking Mumbai with Doha. This new connection was unveiled last month and includes four flights per week, utilizing the airline’s 737 MAX aircraft fleet.

Akasa Air’s Doha Service Commences
The first flight embarked from Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) at 17:45 IST on March 28, arriving at Hamad International Airport (DOH) at 19:40 AST. The departure was celebrated with a traditional lamp-lighting ceremony in Mumbai, witnessed by officials from Akasa and BOM, and welcomed in Doha by dignitaries including the ambassadors of India and Qatar, along with representatives from Hamad Airport and Akasa.

Neelu Khatri, co-founder and senior vice-president international at Akasa Air, commented,

“The commencement of operations from Doha marks a milestone moment in Akasa’s journey as we enter a phase of rapid global expansion. The launch of direct flights connecting Doha with Mumbai, will provide momentum to the growing demand for air travel between India and Qatar.

The inaugural flight was distinguished by its all-female crew, comprising two pilots and five cabin attendants. The service operates on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, as per the schedule below:

Flight Schedule

Departure

Arrival

QP70 – From Mumbai to Doha

17:45

19:40

QP71 – From Doha to Mumbai

20:40

02:45+1

Akasa Air highlights the convenience of these flight timings, facilitating seamless connections for passengers to its extensive domestic network in Mumbai. According to Cirium’s April 2024 data, Akasa will be competing against four other airlines on this route—Air India, IndiGo, Qatar Airways, and Vistara. IndiGo leads in capacity, offering two daily flights with its A320neo and A321neo aircraft, while Air India plans nine weekly flights with its A320neos.

Although Qatar Airways offers fewer weekly flights than Air India, with seven, it compensates with its larger A350 and B777-300ER aircraft, providing over 4,700 seats weekly. Vistara also participates with four weekly flights using its A320 aircraft. In total, the five airlines will offer 38 weekly roundtrips, contributing to more than 16,000 seats available each week.

Expansion into Kuwait and Saudi Arabia
Akasa Air has received approval to initiate flights to three more Middle Eastern destinations: Kuwait, Jeddah, and Riyadh. The airline anticipates rapid network growth in the upcoming months and encourages passengers to stay updated on future expansions.

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