Akasa Air and Air India Express Say Boeing 737 Planes Not Affected by FAA Directive

Indian airlines Akasa Air and Air India Express have stated that their Boeing 737 planes are not impacted by the recent US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) directive for inspection of these jets due to possible fuselage cracks.

The directive, issued on Thursday, requires an inspection of the fuselage skin for existing repairs and applicable on-condition actions. The issue was first reported in 2019, and Boeing notified operators of 737 NG airplanes of the problem at that time.

Akasa Air has a fleet of 40 Boeing 737 MAX planes, while Air India Express has around 80 such planes. According to an Akasa Air spokesperson, 'The issue referenced in the US Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Airworthiness Directive has no impact on the safety or current operations of our fleet.'

The airline also stated that it operates one of the youngest fleets in the world, comprising brand-new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. The directive mandates a scheduled inspection prior to the completion of 30,000 flight cycles (take-offs and landings), which is expected to be reached approximately 13-plus years after an aircraft is inducted into service.