‘Akasa to start flights from Navi Mumbai Airport the day it gets operational:’ Founder-CEO Vinay Dube

NEW DELHI: Akasa will operate flights out of Navi Mumbai from Day One of Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) opening later this year, with the likely date as of now expected sometime in August-end. The airline will start with 15 daily domestic flights and ramp up the number to over 40 domestic plus 8-10 international by next summer, said Akasa founder-CEO Vinay Dube and co-founder CCO Praveen Iyer on Friday.“Between our 32 daily flights at Mumbai CSMIA and NMIA, we will have over 80 daily flights (both domestic and international) by next summer from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). By FY 2027, we will have 10 aircraft based at NMIA,” said Iyer.Dube Friday signed an agreement with Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL) to commence commercial flights from the upcoming NMIA. AAHL CEO Arun Bansal said, “We are pleased to welcome Akasa Air as one of the inaugural airline partners at NMIA. Their rapid growth and forward-looking approach make them an ideal partner in NMIA’s journey to becoming a key domestic and international hub. Our collaboration aims to offer a seamless and enhanced travel experience for millions, with NMIA playing a central role in reshaping Mumbai’s air connectivity ecosystem.”Vinay Dube said, “No airline in India will have a larger percentage of its fleet and operations based out of NMIA than Akasa Air. Enhanced connectivity from Navi Mumbai will not only strengthen our network in the western region but also help fuel India’s economic engine by improving connectivity, stimulating regional development, and ensuring that the benefits of aviation-led growth reach every corner of the country.”Akasa Air will operate over 100 weekly domestic departures initially from NMIA, scaling up to 300-plus domestic and over 50 international departures weekly in the winter schedule. The airline is also set to ramp up to 10 parking bases by the end of FY2027, with a focused international expansion into key Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian markets.In its initial phase, NMIA will handle 2 crore passengers and 0.5 million metric tonnes (MMT) of cargo annually, with ultimate capacity expanding to 9 crore passengers and 3.2 MMT of cargo.