Mumbai, April 15: Low-cost airline SpiceJet today said it will connect Mumbai to international destinations with direct non-stop flights to Hong Kong, Jeddah, Dubai, Colombo, Dhaka, Riyadh, Bangkok and Kathmandu. The new flights will start from the end of May. SpiceJet already connects Mumbai with a non-stop flight to Dubai and had recently announced a daily direct flight to Bangkok.
The airline aims to enhance its operations between Mumbai and Dubai with two additional frequencies.
SpiceJet will be the first and only Indian budget carrier to launch daily direct flights on the Mumbai-Colombo, Mumbai-Dhaka, Mumbai-Riyadh, Mumbai-Hong Kong and Mumbai-Kathmandu sectors. The airline will deploy its Boeing 737 NG aircraft on the new routes.
"SpiceJet will be the only Indian budget carrier operating on a majority of routes that we have announced today, thus providing leisure and business travellers with more options to choose from," said Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet.
Last week, the airline announced six new domestic flights connecting Mumbai with Kolkata, Chennai and Varanasi. While its international flight to Bangkok will start from May 17, the domestic flights are effective April 18.
SpiceJet operates 516 average daily flights to 60 destinations, including 51 domestic and 9 international ones. The airline has a fleet of 48 Boeing 737, 27 Bombardier Q-400s and one 8737 freighter.
India's ailing Jet Airways has drastically reduced operations amid talks with investors to purchase a controlling stake in the airline and help it reduce its mounting debt. Jet Airways spokesman Gaurav Sahni today said that the airline is operating seven aircraft that are flying only domestic routes.
Sahni said that international flights had been scheduled for Tuesday. Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal resigned from the board last month as part of a recovery plan structured by government-owned State Bank of India and other creditors.
Indian news media reported that Goyal submitted an expression of interest on Friday to make a bid for a controlling stake in the airline. Jet Airways pilots have been demonstrating in Mumbai over lack of pay. Sahni said the demonstration was not expected to affect operations.