Indian budget carrier Akasa Air has found itself in a challenging situation as the slowdown in Boeing 737 MAX deliveries has led to the grounding of hundreds of pilots. As reported by Pilotcenter.net News, out of Akasa Air's 850 pilots, approximately 400 are currently grounded, with only 60% required to operate the airline's fleet of 26 aircraft. The situation has led to concerns among recruits about potential extensions to their post-joining training period.

Despite the disruption in aircraft delivery schedules, a spokesperson for Akasa Air reassured The Hindu that more than 60% of their pilots have started accumulating flying hours. While the grounded pilots are receiving 50% of their income during this period, the airline is eagerly awaiting the arrival of 101 Boeing 737-8-800 aircraft and 99 of the pending 737 MAX 10s, according to ch-aviation. Presently, Akasa Air's fleet consists of 23 Boeing 737 MAX 8s and three 737-8-800s.

Akasa Air made headlines during the Dubai Airshow 2021 when they placed an order for a substantial number of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, with the first delivery taking place on June 16, 2022. Initially ambitious in their growth plans, co-founder and CEO Vinay Dube had envisioned receiving 72 aircraft within five years of commercial operations, which commenced in August 2022. However, the pace of deliveries slowed down significantly in 2024, with only three MAX aircraft arriving after an initial spike of 22.

Despite the setbacks, Akasa Air remains optimistic about its future prospects, reaffirming its commitment to growth by placing an order for an additional 150 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft at the Wings India event in January 2024. The challenges in aircraft deliveries were further exacerbated by a safety incident involving an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 in early 2024, prompting regulatory restrictions on Boeing's production rate of the MAX jets.

As Akasa Air navigates through these hurdles, the airline industry will be closely watching how Boeing adapts its approach to quality and safety standards to address the evolving landscape of commercial aviation. Keep an eye on Pilotcenter.net News for more updates on this unfolding story.