Wedoany.com Report-Dec.2, Akasa Air has successfully completed registration under the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), achieving this recognised global benchmark for airline operational safety and management systems within just over three years of starting commercial operations in August 2022.

The comprehensive IOSA audit evaluates more than 900 standards across flight operations, engineering and maintenance, cabin services, ground handling, cargo, security, and overall organisational systems.

Capt. Gaurav Pathak, Chief of Flight Safety at Akasa Air, stated: "Achieving IOSA registration in just over three years is a significant milestone for Akasa and a testament to the discipline, professionalism, and safety mindset demonstrated by our teams across the organisation. We have built a strong and resilient safety culture from day one, and this recognition reinforces that we are operating at global standards. We remain committed to continuously strengthening our systems and processes as we scale and serve more passengers across India and beyond."

The airline highlighted that completing the rigorous audit so early demonstrates its adherence to internationally accepted practices and positions it among carriers that consistently meet high operational standards.

In separate developments, Air India Express has commenced twice-daily direct flights between Nagpur and Bengaluru effective December 1, 2025, further expanding its network in Maharashtra. The inaugural services operated on schedule, with the first flight departing Nagpur at 10:00 and arriving in Bengaluru at 12:05, while the return flight left Bengaluru at 07:25 and landed in Nagpur at 09:30.

Aloke Singh, Managing Director of Air India Express, commented: "With the commencement of our operations from Nagpur today, alongside our upcoming launch from the new Navi Mumbai International Airport, we are further strengthening our presence across Maharashtra. These additions reinforce our focus on enhancing connectivity between non-metro cities and our major hubs, particularly Bengaluru, which continues to grow as our key domestic hub. This expanded network enables guests to enjoy seamless one-stop access across India, the Gulf, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. As we scale our network, we look forward to welcoming more travellers to 'Xplore More, and Xpress More' with Air India Express."

From Nagpur, passengers now gain convenient one-stop connections to 29 domestic and seven international destinations via the airline’s network. Air India Express currently operates over 130 weekly flights from Mumbai and more than 90 weekly services from Pune. Direct flights from the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport to Bengaluru and Delhi are scheduled to begin on December 25, 2025.

Bengaluru remains the airline’s primary hub, offering over 530 weekly direct departures, including recent additions to Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Bangkok, Jeddah, Kuwait, and Riyadh. The new Nagpur-Bengaluru route enhances regional connectivity and supports growing travel demand between central India and the southern technology centre.