Akasa has 72 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft on order, with the first batch coming in from other customers who have not taken up their aircraft. Akasa expected a rapid induction of the first 20 aircraft, with 18 aircraft joining the fleet by March 2023. This premise was based on two aircraft joining the fleet every month, and all these first 18 aircraft have been picked up by Akasa as other airlines did not accept delivery of their aircraft for various reasons (commonly known in the industry as not taken up aircraft).

Akasa Air’s A++ Cabin

Akasa Air could not escape the supply chain issues that seem to be derailing the plans of many airlines at the moment. Akasa, which started with inducting aircraft after fixing up the seat upholstery to their brand colours and putting in headrests and more comfortable cushions on the seats (and USB ports retrofitted), announced in November 2022 that it was going to induct 11 aircraft with a cabin layout different to their original plans. This LOPA was initially configured with a 174-seat configuration and was destined for Jet Airways (1.0) [with a 12-seat business class cabin] and is now headed to Akasa.

However, Akasa does not intend to start a separate premium cabin to sell these wider seats. While Akasa sells the economy class front row A+ seats at INR 1500 (with a discount for the customers who buy the Flexi tickets), in November 2022, they announced that they would sell these front rows with the wider Collins Aerospace MiQ seats at INR 2,500 per sector and call the product A++. In this move, they are going the way of Spirit Airlines, a US ULCC, which has the Big Front Seat available for an extra charge after you buy the ticket. These seats are the same that Vistara uses in some of their A320neo Business Class cabins.

Akasa recently took delivery of VT-YAH, their eighth aircraft, which is based in Bengaluru. On December 3, 2022, they put this aircraft in service. We received the first picture of the A++ cabin from a reader who recently travelled with Akasa.

Akasa is currently selling the A++ cabin on the following flights:

• QP1340: Bengaluru – Mumbai
• QP1341: Mumbai – Bengaluru
• QP1115: Mumbai – Chennai
• QP1116: Chennai – Mumbai
• QP1117: Mumbai – Delhi
• QP1118: Delhi – Mumbai

As announced earlier, anyone can assign these seats for a price of INR 2,500 during the booking flow. Remember, the seat assignment cost is just for the seat and not for a bundle where other facilities, such as a meal or priority boarding, may be included.

Or, if you have chosen the Flexi tickets, you can assign these seats for INR 1750. Incidentally, the Flexi fare also comes with a meal.

As a reminder, the Akasa A++ cabin is a temporary solution to a temporary problem caused because Akasa will currently take delivery of 737-8 aircraft in an as-is condition. However, it intends to send them back to the shop sometime over the next nine months to harmonise them with the rest of the fleet. That will mean the wider seats go out, and more economy class seats from Recaro take that space.

Bottomline

Akasa Air’s new 737-8 cabin with a wider seat in the front, called the A++ cabin, is now in service on select routes. More aircraft with the wider cabin will join the fleet soon; hence, we should expect to see these seats on board more Akasa flights shortly. For the moment, six flights have this cabin, and you can find the details in the post midways. You can buy these seats for an additional charge of INR 2,500 over and above the fare. Although, of course, the better option is to buy them with the flexi-fare.

Would you pay an additional INR 2,500 for the A++ cabin of Akasa Air?

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