My Akasa Air experience
“When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there will always long to return.”- Leonardo Da Vinci
08 March 2023 was the day when I felt that the first rays of the sun knocked my window gently and asking me to get up, ready to fill the energy in me. It would be an understatement if I just termed this day happy, because to me it was truly special, because though I have previously flown, this was going to be my second flight on a Boeing 737–8 Max with Akasa Air (QP), the brand new airline in India, which commenced operations in August 2022.Kudos to its super three founders comprising Mr. Aditya Ghosh, Mr. Vinay Dube & Late. Sri. Rakesh Jhunjhunwala.
Well, it all began with a friend of mine named Ankit, an amazing YouTuber who recommended Akasa Air to me in February 2023, and the way he beautifully described the entire onboard product was sufficient for me to book a ticket with them. So here I was. We both planned to head to Bengaluru. He was flying in from Lucknow on the same airline in two hours’ time, and I was arriving from Hyderabad. My flight QP1418 (aircraft registration VT-YAP) was on schedule for the 420 p.m. departure.
The Max’s CFM Leap 1-B engines spooled to life, thundering down the runway, and I could feel the thrust that glued me to the seat. Wings flexed as we reached V1 speed. This gorgeous bird took to the skies and gently banked right after takeoff to a southerly heading. All this time, my focus was on the split-scimitar winglets, which bore Akasa Air’s logo. Tearing through the wispy clouds and the sun’s rays striking a milky-white colour on the right-hand side wing is a sight that I will never forget. I got an opportunity to chat with the cabin crew while enjoying Akasa Air’s onboard hot coffee(Café Akasa) once the in-flight service was complete.
Around 520 PM, we touched down at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, T1. I was lucky, as we got a remote stand, and the bus ferried the passengers to the arrivals zone. I got an opportunity to spot a Qantas A330–200, an Air India 77L, and an Ethiopian 737–8 Max at the apron.
Delight Points:
- Magnificent livery and logo. The orange and purple stand out.
- Their tagline is It’s your sky.
- Excellent and friendly check-in staff at Akasa Air. I was the first passenger to check in as soon as the counters opened.
- Boarding was smooth.
- Cabin crew uniforms were intriguing, and why not? One of the best cabin crew uniforms, paired with sneakers, was the coolest thing ever. The crew was professional, and the way they were interacting with passengers showed how confident they were.
I look forward to flying them soon, probably in November 2023, from Bengaluru to Hyderabad. This blog was out of my own interest, and I just couldn’t stop myself from jotting it down as an aviation enthusiast and aviation artist.
-Pramod Sharma
