Akasa Air decides to withdraw services from Visakhapatnam

Airline CEO promised to relaunch operations from the city in a year, says GVL

Representational image. | Photo Credit: PTI

Akasa Air has decided to withdraw its flights from Visakhapatnam, after introducing them to Bengaluru and Mumbai about six months ago, according to reliable sources. The decision is a big shock to the people of the city, says Ravi Teja, a frequent flier to Bengaluru.

“This a setback for air travellers from Vizag,” A.P. Air Travellers Association (APATA) representative O. Naresh Kumar said. “IndiGo and Akasa Air, operating to Bengaluru in a gap of 15 minutes, maybe the reason for the drop in occupancy,” says Mr. Ravi Teja.

Akasa Air is operating two flights to Bengaluru while IndiGo is operating three flights and AirAsia is operating two flights to Bengaluru from VIzag. Akasa Air, Air India and IndiGo are operating one flight each from Vizag to Mumbai.

“I spoke to the CEO of the airline, he says the decision to pull out was based on profitability and limitations of aircraft. The CEO assured me that they would relaunch operations from Vizag in a year. I asked them about the employees, and he said that they would be relocated to the nearest airport from which the airline was operating,” BJP Rajya Sabha member G.V.L. Narasimha Rao toldThe Hindu on Wednesday night.