While airplanes rarely hit the headlines before or after deliveries, some go through tremendous public and media gaze, particularly when the start of an entire airline depends upon their delivery. And the orange and purple Boeing 737 MAX airplane of Akasa Air – currently sitting at the Boeing production facility in Portland – fits the description perfectly.
Revealed
On Monday morning, India’s startup airline Akasa Air revealed for the first time what its 737 MAX aircraft looks like. Wearing the carrier’s bright “Sunrise Orange” and “Passionate Purple” colors, the aircraft is believed to be in the final stages before delivery.
Those following Akasa’s Twitter handle closely were not surprised by a series of witty tweets shared by the airline, offering the first look at the twin-engine narrowbody. Using its recently revealed airline code QP, one of the tweets read, “Can’t keep calm! Say hi to our QP-pie!”
Another image clearly shows the airplane’s registration number VT-YAA underneath the wing and in front of the tail.
The timing of these photographs is also significant, given how the plane’s delay was making many anxious and apprehensive about the launch of the airline. While the plane is still not on Indian soil, its pictures help alleviate the doubts to a great degree.
Eagerly awaited
As we’ve seen with Jet Airways, the importance of proving flights in building the momentum towards launch is quite significant. Not that Akasa has been sitting idle all this while. Over the last few months, we’ve seen it reveal its branding and logo, airline code, and hire employees as well.
However, the airline still requires one of the most important permissions needed to start operations – the air operators certificate (AOC). And for that, it has been waiting for a while to receive its first aircraft from Boeing.
Akasa had initially expected the 737 to arrive in April and hoped to conduct the proving flights soon after….