Akasa Air, a new player in the Indian aviation industry, has come under the spotlight after it cancelled 10 flights in just two days. The airline has termed this development as an “aberration”, but the reasons behind these cancellations have not been disclosed by the airline. However, sources close to the matter have suggested that the airline is facing a shortage of trained pilots, although Akasa Air has denied this claim.
Social media users also raised concerns about the flight cancellations by Akasa Air, bringing the matter into the public domain. In response to the growing concerns, an airline spokesperson issued a statement apologizing for the inconvenience caused due to the cancellations, and termed the situation as an “aberration”. The airline confirmed that a total of 10 flights were cancelled over the span of two days.
In the midst of these developments, Akasa Air CEO Vinay Dube clarified that the airline does not have a shortage of pilots, stating that they are sufficiently staffed with over 600 pilots, which is more than enough to operate a fleet much larger than their current size. Despite these claims, sources have suggested that the carrier is facing challenges in securing slots for training its newly recruited pilots, leading to a shortage of trained pilots for operating flights.
Akasa Air, which commenced its operations in August 2022, has been in the process of expanding its operations. This recent incident of flight cancellations has raised questions about the airline’s ability to manage its growing operations effectively, and has brought the issue of pilot shortage or training slots into focus. As the airline navigates through these challenges, passengers and industry experts will be closely monitoring how Akasa Air addresses these concerns to ensure the smooth functioning of its operations in the future.
