By Abhijith Ganapavaram

NEW DELHI, Oct 9 (Reuters) - Neelu Khatri, co-founder

and head of international operations at India's Akasa Air, is

leaving the country's newest airline to pursue other

opportunities, at a time when delayed Boeing ( BA ) jet

deliveries have hindered its expansion plans.

Khatri is one of the nine co-founders of Akasa, which began

commercial operations in 2022 and is backed by Indian

billionaire tycoon Azim Premji's investment arm and the family

of late billionaire Rakesh Jhunjhunwala.

The airline did not immediately name a replacement for

Khatri, a former Indian Air Force wing commander. CEO Vinay Dube

said in an internal email seen by Reuters that Khatri's

transition was planned with the company's top executives and

that the Mumbai-based airline's international plans were

unchanged.

Reuters reported in March that Akasa Air's top executives were

privately criticising Boeing ( BA ) for delayed plane deliveries as

hundreds of its pilots were left without work.

The airline has placed orders for 226 Boeing 737 MAXs, the

delivery of which has been delayed by regulatory scrutiny and

supply chain snags.

Finance chief Ankur Goel told reporters in July that he

expected jet deliveries to pick up in the coming years.

The airline, the third largest Indian carrier by market

share in August, launched international operations in March 2024

and added its sixth international route earlier this year.