Akasa Air has also announced the appointment of Sejal Haribhakti Mody as its Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), who brings over 20 years of experience. The airline has continued to garner strong customer loyalty, serving over 11 million passengers and connecting 22 domestic and five international cities.
Akasa Air marked a significant achievement as women pilots Captain Bhavna Gandhi and Captain Sanaya Chothia took delivery of the airline’s 25th Boeing 737 MAX aircraft on September 9, 2024. The all-women crew flew the new aircraft, bearing the registration VT-YBB, from Seattle, USA, with stopovers in Keflavik, Iceland, and Larnaca, Cyprus, before landing at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad on September 12, 2024. This milestone highlights Akasa’s commitment to championing diversity in the flight deck and reinforces its rapid growth trajectory since its inception in August 2022.
Akasa Air, which initially placed an order for 72 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, has since expanded its order book to 226 aircraft, making it the fastest-growing airline in the 122-year history of civil aviation. The airline has now taken delivery of 25 aircraft and is on track to receive another 201 over the next eight years. Its Boeing 737 MAX aircraft not only provide greater range and fuel efficiency, reducing carbon emissions by 20%, but also align with the airline’s commitment to sustainability.
In parallel with these accomplishments, Akasa Air announced the appointment of Sejal Haribhakti Mody as its Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), effective September 9, 2024. Mody brings over 20 years of experience in organizational change and talent management across industries, including FMCG, media, and consulting. Her leadership will be pivotal as Akasa continues its journey towards becoming one of the top 30 airlines globally by the end of the decade. In her role, Mody will oversee organizational transformation, talent development, and culture-building, ensuring a people-centric approach to the airline’s operations.
Mody added, “The Indian aviation industry has witnessed tremendous transformation, and I am thrilled to join Akasa Air at such an exciting phase of its journey. With deep understanding of people practices and employee experience programs, I look forward to working with the talented team at Akasa, to build a dynamic and inclusive culture that empowers our people to thrive and contribute to Akasa’s success as India’s most customer-centric airline.”
Commenting on the appointment, Vinay Dube, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Akasa Air, said, “We are delighted to welcome Sejal to the Akasa family. Her deep expertise in organizational transformation, change management and her passion for building strong, people-centric cultures will be instrumental as we continue to scale our operations and maintain our commitment to providing world-class customer experience rooted in employee centricity.”
Notably, Akasa Air has continued to garner strong customer loyalty, serving over 11 million passengers and connecting 22 domestic and five international cities. These include Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi, Delhi, Guwahati, Agartala, Pune, Lucknow, Goa, Hyderabad, Varanasi, Bagdogra, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Port Blair, Ayodhya, Gwalior, Srinagar, Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, Doha (Qatar), Jeddah, Riyadh (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia), Abu Dhabi (UAE) and Kuwait City (Kuwait).
