Akasa Air has received the government's approval to operate the international routes even as the company continues to struggle with a pilot exodus.
"The Ministry of Civil Aviation has recognised the strength of Akasa Air's operations, and we have been designated as an International Scheduled Operator," the airline said in a statement on Wednesday.
The move will allow Akasa to fly internationally, bringing them a step closer to launching international operations before the end of this year, it said.
The airline has a fleet comprising a single-aircraft type Boeing 737 MAX, which puts destinations in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East within its range.
The carrier reiterated that it is on track to announce a three-digit aircraft order by the end of this year to serve the growing travel demand.
The statement comes after the airline sued pilots who left the company without serving the mandated notice period, which led to the cancellation of flights and a drop in market share for the carrier. The sudden exit of these pilots forced Akasa to cancel 24 flights per day in September and put it in a "state of crisis".
The airline is seeking nearly Rs 22 crore from the pilots for the reputational and financial loss caused by the cancellation of flights.
Akasa's market share dropped to 4.2% in August from 5.2% in July, according to the latest data available from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Due to the drop in market share, Akasa slipped below cash-strapped SpiceJet Ltd. in August after surpassing its market share in the previous months.
The airline is willing to sacrifice market share to deliver reliable services as the pilot issue is a short-term constraint, according to a letter its Chief Executive Officer Vinay Dube wrote to the employees quelling concerns around the airline's comment in the Delhi High Court warning of a "shut down".
Akasa also requested the court empower the DGCA to enforce the mandatory notice-period rules.
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