Akasa Air Cofounder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Vinay Dube has allayed safety concerns regarding a Boeing 737 Max “software glitch” during landing. The airline has a fleet of 43 Boeing 737 Max planes, which fly across the country and abroad.
In an interview with Business Standard, Dube said: “Following our assessment and discussions with Boeing, we can confirm there is no impact whatsoever on our operational continuity, new aircraft delivery schedules, and induction timelines. Our fleet remains absolutely safe.”
The concerns came to light just a few days ago when The Wall Street Journal broke the story that Boeing had informed buyers in August about a software glitch in its 737 MAX jets, while maintaining that it posed no safety risk. In simple terms, if a 737 MAX aircraft aborts a landing, the automated navigation system may cut off. However, the pilots can maintain manual control of the plane.
Explaining the matter, Dube said: “This is not a universal software issue. It is just that in a very very specific manoeuvre, the automated flight-guiding system cannot be used. In such a case, the pilot has to fly the plane manually. If you ask me how often we have encountered this specific situation in our four and a half years of flying, the answer is zero.”
Responding to whether the airline has had discussions regarding the software issue with India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Akasa Air CEO said: “We work closely with the DGCA. Boeing also has a large outfit in India, and they are in touch with the regulator as well. Everyone is fully aware of the situation.
Dube also made it clear that there is no problem with registration of the Boeing 737 MAX and that the airline is readying to get deliveries of some planes very soon. He added that Boeing is working on a software fix to address the issue.
However, some global carriers have told Boeing that they would not like to take delivery of the new Boeing 737 MAX jets until the issue is resolved. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the US has said that it will delay certification of the new Boeing MAX 10 jets — the longest version of the 737 — until it is satisfied that there is no safety issue at all.
However, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said that the 737 MAX is safe as it does not take away control of the aircraft from the pilots.
In India, Akasa Air holds the largest order for the Boeing 737 MAX. Out of a total order of 226 aircraft, the airline has already received 43 planes, with the remaining fleet scheduled for phased delivery by 2032. Akasa has already added five of these planes to its fleet during the current financial year.
The airline is also looking for another order in the next few years to ensure that it can continue to expand. However, the size and scope of this expansion have not been finalised.
