Akasa Air launches Mumbai-Hanoi direct flights, first Indian carrier to enter Vietnam with 4 weekly flights

India's upstart airline Akasa Air launched direct flights between Mumbai and Hanoi on September 4, 2026, becoming the first Indian carrier to fly this route. The service operates 4 flights a week (Monday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday) and marks Akasa's seventh international route. Put simply, an Indian carrier has drawn its own direct line into Vietnam. This is a tailwind for Japanese companies with production or sourcing bases in Vietnam, and for food and manufacturing businesses exporting to Vietnam, as it thickens the flow of people and cargo.

Source news: Akasa launches Mumbai-Hanoi service with 4 weekly flights

According to Free Press Journal, the outbound flight QP-0625 departs Mumbai at 5:35 a.m. and arrives in Hanoi at 12:00 p.m. local time. The return flight QP-0626 departs Hanoi at 1:30 p.m. and arrives in Mumbai at 5:10 p.m. Flight time is under 5 hours. Akasa becomes the third airline worldwide to fly this route, after VietJet and Vietnam Airlines, and the first Indian carrier to do so.

Background: why Akasa chose Hanoi as its seventh destination

Akasa Air has been gradually expanding its international network, and Hanoi marks its seventh international destination. Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer Anand Srinivasan positions the route as strengthening the airline's presence in South Asia. Connecting Mumbai, India's commercial hub, with Vietnam's capital on both weekdays and weekends suggests the route is designed to capture both business travel and weekend passenger flow.

How do 4 weekly direct flights help sourcing and business travel?

A direct flight of under 5 hours with no connection creates room for Mumbai-based companies to travel to factories and suppliers in Hanoi on a schedule close to a day trip. The outbound flight departs early morning and arrives in Hanoi before noon, while the return departs in the afternoon and gets back to Mumbai by evening, making it easy to dedicate a full day to meetings or factory visits on the ground. Flying on Monday and on Friday through Sunday works well both for starting the week and for a stay that spans the weekend. For manufacturing and procurement staff keeping an eye on both India and Vietnam, whether a direct flight exists has a major effect on travel time and stay planning.

Why a route connecting Vietnam matters for Japanese companies' two-base strategy

Many Japanese companies have production or sourcing bases in Vietnam. Adding a direct flight from the India side makes it easier for the same staff to travel between India-based manufacturing and sales operations and their Vietnam base in a short trip. For companies designed to bring raw materials and parts from Vietnam and process and sell them in India, faster movement of people also translates into faster decision-making.

How it is being received locally and in the industry

Based on the reporting from Free Press Journal, Anand Srinivasan said, "The direct flight to Hanoi strengthens our presence in South Asia and is another step in building a network connecting India with dynamic destinations around the world." With this launch, the route is now flown by three airlines, and Akasa's entry was positioned as the first by an Indian carrier.

What this means for Japanese companies: how to connect India and Vietnam operations

For Japanese companies with separate bases in India and Vietnam, a direct route is a practical factor that lowers travel costs. Among moves to build a manufacturing base in India, Kaga Electronics forms a joint venture with India's Syrma, aiming to serve as a manufacturing base for Japanese companies shows a growing pattern of sharing production with local partners. For companies choosing to outsource the entry itself, A Japan-India corridor framework that fully outsources GCC set-up is also worth reworking on the premise that travel between the two countries has become faster.

Ripple effects on the market: reading this alongside airport infrastructure developments

Expanding international routes matters even more when paired with the airport infrastructure that receives them. In North India, Noida Airport's passenger flights reshape the logistics map shows how new landing slots change business activity in the surrounding area. If the Mumbai-Hanoi direct route becomes established, room also opens up to consider consolidated cargo shipments and air freight of fresh produce.

Practical information and related links

• Japanese local production partner: Kaga Electronics and Syrma joint venture
• Outsourcing entry operations: Japan-India corridor GCC set-up
• Airport infrastructure changes: Noida Airport begins passenger flights

Summary: rethink base planning on the premise of frequent travel

The Mumbai-Hanoi direct route is an opportunity to rework base planning that had treated India and Vietnam separately, now on the premise of faster travel between them. Companies with bases or business partners in both countries should start by estimating how much these 4 weekly flights can shorten key staff's business travel, then build that into quarterly travel plans. Whether flight frequency increases or decreases after launch is also worth tracking as a gauge of how well the route takes hold.

Sources

• Free Press Journal"Akasa Air to launch Mumbai-Hanoi direct flights"