Akasa Air Appoints Belson Coutinho as COO Amidst Growing Competition
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Mumbai, Jan 7 (NationPress) The budget airline Akasa Air has appointed Belson Coutinho as its Chief Operating Officer (COO) on Tuesday. Coutinho will oversee the airline's essential operational activities, which include inflight services, airport services, maintenance and engineering, flight operations, and operational excellence, among other areas.
In November, the airline transported 674,000 domestic passengers, securing a market share of 4.7 percent, as India’s domestic aviation market exceeded its traffic levels from 2023.
“Belson's diverse experience has allowed him to work effectively with cross-functional teams in airline operations, providing him with a solid grasp of how operational departments function,” stated Vinay Dube, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Akasa Air.
“We believe that with his guidance, we will further improve our operational efficiency, uphold our commitment to service excellence, and make significant progress toward our goal of becoming a world-class airline,” he continued.
Coutinho has been a member of Akasa Air’s executive committee since the airline was founded in 2022.
Since its launch, Akasa Air has served over 14 million passengers and connects 22 domestic and five international destinations.
The airline commenced its first commercial flight on August 7, 2022, to meet the increasing demand within India and began international operations on March 28, 2024, providing non-stop services from Mumbai to Doha.
Internationally, Akasa Air offers flights to Doha, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, Jeddah, and Kuwait.
The low-cost airline has placed a substantial order for 226 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, with 26 737 MAX planes currently in operation.
As competition among low-cost carriers intensifies, Akasa Air faces challenges, with profitability being a major focus for the airline.
According to data from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India’s commercial airlines transported 1.42 crore passengers on domestic routes in November this year, marking a robust 12 percent increase compared to the same month last year.
