On its International routes, Akasa Air is up against formidable competition

This will be Akasa Air, the first and only carrier to take advantage of the 0/20 rule to start International operations within two years of launching operations. The airline has had a disastrous outing in August with cancellations and bad press amidst the pilots leaving the airline.

As it turns the page and plans for the international launch, it will be pitted against formidable players and omnipresent IndiGo on its routes to the three countries where it has received rights to fly. Within the three countries, the airline will look at Doha, Kuwait City, Jeddah, Riyadh and Medina.

IndiGo, Air India And more

Akasa Air has competed with IndiGo on all routes that it has been operating, while some of its routes also see Air India or other Tata group airlines as competition. International, though is a different ball game  where it will compete with not just Indian carriers but also with Saudia, Qatar Airways and Kuwait Airways.

Kuwait Airways operates to Ahmedabad, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai and Trivandrum. The airline has already announced resumption of services to Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Jazeera Airways operates to Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Trivandrum.

Air India or Air India Express operate to Kuwait city from Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kannur, Kozhikode, Mangalore and Trichy. IndiGo operates from Ahmedabad, Delhi, Chennai, Kochi, Mumbai and Hyderabad. 

Qatar Airways has a wider network to India and the focus also is on feed to its wider global network. The Tata group of airlines operate to Doha from Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi, Kannur, Kozhikode, Mangalore, Trichy and Trivandrum. Qatar Airways' India network comprises Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Kozhikode, Mumbai, Nagpur and Trivandrum. IndiGo  which has a codeshare with Qatar Airways and helps feed into the global network of Qatar Airways operates to Doha from Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kannur, Kochi, Kozhikode and Mumbai.

The competition on routes to Saudi Arabia is more intense with the traditional labour traffic and Saudia's feeder traffic ambitions. The country has three hubs - Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam. Air India operates to Riyadh from Delhi, Hyderabad and Mumbai.

Flynas operates to Delhi, Kozhikode, Lucknow and Mumbai from Riyadh. Riyadh is also served by IndiGo from Delhi, Mumbai and service from Hyderabad resumes this winter. Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kozhikode, Lucknow and Mumbai are served by Saudia from Riyadh.