Akasa Air skillfully navigated a global aviation disruption caused by a CrowdStrike glitch, ensuring that no flights were canceled during the 48-hour crisis. In a recent interview with CNBC-TV18, Founder and CEO Vinay Dube, along with Co-Founder Belson Coutinho, shared insights into the airline’s response and its future direction. They confirmed that the airline has no immediate plans to introduce business class or a loyalty program, instead focusing on customer experience and strategic growth.
Despite the severe impact of the global outage on aviation operations worldwide, Akasa Air’s well-prepared crisis management strategy and dedicated staff successfully prevented any disruptions.
“This is a moment where I am going to boast because, while I don’t have a statistic to provide, I want to clarify that on July 19, Akasa did not cancel a single flight. What enabled this achievement was the extraordinary effort of every single Akasa employee—across airports, in-flight services, our Operations Control Department, social media, reservations, and call centers. They all went above and beyond to ensure that consumers were well taken care of,” Dube said.
He emphasized that the airline’s success during this crisis was due to the preparedness and dedication of its employees. For the past two and a half years, Akasa’s airports, tech, and call center teams have been rigorously practicing business continuity drills and other preparedness exercises. This training and their unwavering spirit were crucial in navigating the challenge posed by the outage.
Looking ahead, Akasa Air has decided not to pursue additional funding, citing its strong financial position. Dube noted that while the airline remains open to future funding conversations, it is currently well-capitalized and focused on its expansion strategies.
In terms of service offerings, Akasa Air has chosen not to introduce business class or a loyalty program for the time being. Instead, the airline is concentrating on enhancing the overall passenger experience through personalized travel and improved customer service. Dube and Coutinho highlighted that their immediate priority is to maintain high service standards while exploring new destinations.
The airline is also moving forward with plans to expand into Southeast Asia and other destinations within the Indian subcontinent, continuing its growth trajectory. Despite the challenges posed by the global outage, Akasa Air’s EBITDA has improved by 30 basis points.
With a current pilot count of 800, Akasa Air does not plan to hire additional pilots in the near future. The airline’s focus remains on leveraging existing resources and refining the customer journey, rather than expanding its fleet or service offerings at this time.
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