SpiceJet flags off Hyderabad-Rajahmundry operations

Rajahmundry(AP), Sep 30: Low-cost airline SpiceJet launched its commercial operations from Hyderabad to Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh's East Godavari district.

At present SpiceJet is operating two services in a day between the two destinations, which will be later increased, Spicejet Limited's chief commercial officer Samyut Sridharan told reporters here after the launch.

Sridharan said the airline has commissioned a brand new fleet of the latest Q400 nextGen turboprop aircraft from Bombardier to enhance air connectivity in tier-II and tier-III cities, he said.

An order has been placed for 30 Q-400 NetGen Turboprop aircraft and five have already arrived. We are expecting the remaining 25 shortly, he said, adding that the aircraft, that can accommodate 78 passengers, is widely accepted as the best short-haul plane in the world.

Sridharan said SpiceJet has a market share of over 14 percent.

He said SpiceJet launched Q-400 aircraft on the Hyderabad-Tirupati, Hyderabad-Goa, Hyderabad-Madurai, Vizag- Tirupati and Vizag-Bangalore last week.

SpiceJet will be flying on six currently unconnected routes: Hyderabad-Aurangabad, Hyderabad-Madurai, Hyderabad-Mangalore, Hyderabad-Thiruvananthapuram, Bangalore-Vizag and Vizag-Tirupati, he added.

The airline would also be adding eight new destinations to their existing network of 21 domestic cities -- Aurangabad, Bhopal, Indore, Mangalore, Rajahmundry, Tirupati, Thiruvananthapuram and Vijayawada, he said.

He further said that SpiceJet will also add routes within its existing destinations using the Q400 aircraft and will operate direct flights from Hyderabad to Goa, Nagpur and Pune.

PTI