By Abhijith Ganapavaram
NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Neelu Khatri, co-founder and head of international operations at India’s Akasa Air, is leaving the country’s newest airline to pursue other opportunities, at a time when delayed Boeing jet deliveries have hindered its expansion plans.
Khatri is one of the nine co-founders of Akasa, which began commercial operations in 2022 and is backed by Indian billionaire tycoon Azim Premji’s investment arm and the family of late billionaire Rakesh Jhunjhunwala.
The airline did not immediately name a replacement for Khatri, a former Indian Air Force wing commander. CEO Vinay Dube said in an internal email seen by Reuters that Khatri’s transition was planned with the company’s top executives and that the Mumbai-based airline’s international plans were unchanged.
Reuters reported in March that Akasa Air’s top executives were privately criticising Boeing for delayed plane deliveries as hundreds of its pilots were left without work.
The airline has placed orders for 226 Boeing 737 MAXs, the delivery of which has been delayed by regulatory scrutiny and supply chain snags.
Finance chief Ankur Goel told reporters in July that he expected jet deliveries to pick up in the coming years.
The airline, the third largest Indian carrier by market share in August, launched international operations in March 2024 and added its sixth international route earlier this year.
(Reporting by Abhijith Ganapavaram; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
