Akasa Air has announced its international operations with the addition of Doha, capital of Qatar, as the first international destination. With this, Akasa Air has become the first Indian airline to start international flights within 19 months of commencing flight ops. Starting 28 March 2024, Akasa Air will operate four non-stop flights a week, connecting Mumbai with Doha, enhancing air connectivity between Qatar and India.
Also read: Akasa Air Launches Daily Flights To Ayodhya, Connects With Pune And Delhi
Akasa Air is offering return fares on Doha-Mumbai route starting at Rs 29012 and will operate flights on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Flight QP70 will depart from Mumbai at 17:45 and reach Doha at 19:40. Flight QP71 will depart Doha on the same day at 20:40 and reach Mumbai next day at 2:45.
Doha, the capital city and commercial hub of Qatar, is one of the key economic engines of the Middle East region and is also known for its cultural heritage. The city invites a blend of business, spiritual and leisure travellers from India throughout the year.
Since its launch in August 2022, Akasa Air has served over 7.75 million passengers and connects with 21 cities, namely Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi, Delhi, Guwahati, Agartala, Pune, Lucknow, Goa, Hyderabad, Varanasi, Bagdogra, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Port Blair, Ayodhya, Gwalior, Srinagar, and Doha (Qatar).
Akasa Air will deploy its Boeing 737 MAX fleet of aircraft on the first international route, offering brand new aircraft to the flyers. Akasa Air ordered 72 Boeing 737 MAX planes recently, of which 20 units have been delivered already, flying on the domestic routes of Akasa.
Commenting on the announcement, Vinay Dube, Founder and CEO, Akasa Air said, “We are delighted to announce our international operations with the launch of our first destination – Doha, to our growing network. The introduction of four flights a week, connecting directly with Mumbai, a key Indian commercial hub, will cater to a diverse set of travellers from the two countries, facilitating tourism, commerce and strengthening bilateral ties.
“We are driven by our purpose of connecting people, places and cultures and will continue to augment our global footprint in the coming months. We are confident that travellers will enjoy the signature Akasa experience, and that we will emerge as the preferred carrier on the route”, concluded Vinay.
Akasa Air recently commenced daily direct flights to the holy city of Ayodhya, operating flights between Pune and Ayodhya via Delhi, with no change of aircraft required. The inaugural flight on 15 February 2024 departed from Maharishi Valmiki International Airport in Ayodhya at 13:35hrs and arrived at Pune International Airport at 17:50hrs, with a stop at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi at 15:05hrs.