Within the next eight months (October–November), the number of SpiceJet daily flights will go up to to 620 from 516. The low-cost carrier currently operates on 59 destinations, including 51 domestic and eight international.
In the next three months, SpiceJet will connect five more international cities and 43 flights under the Central government’s regional air connectivity project Ude Desh Ke Aam Nagarik (UDAN) Scheme.
Talking to The Statesman, Debashis Saha, associate vice president (Regulatory and Government Affairs) of SpiceJet, said very soon the airline would soon start flight services on New Delhi-Russia, New Delhi-Almati (Kazakhstan), New Delhi-China, New Delhi-Turkey, Hyderabad-Jeddah, Calicut-Jeddah international routes. Presently, SpiceJet connects Dubai, Muscat, Bangkok, Colombo, Maldives, Dhaka, Kabul and Hong Kong.
“At present the domestic market share of SpiceJet is, 15.5 percent and within a year it aims to increase it by over 20 percent. IndiGo is currently the market leader.
At present, the daily average domestic traveller is 1.5 crores and the international traveller is about 40 per cent. The country’s aviation passenger sector is increasing from 16 to 17 per cent every year,” said Debashis Saha.
SpiceJet has plans to procure 220 Boeing 737 -800 Max aircraft, 50 Bombardier Q400 aircraft from Canada. Out of which 15 Boeing 737 -800 aircraft and three Bombardier Q400 aircraft have already arrived. Presently, SpiceJet have been operating 76 aircraft of Boeing 737 -800, NG Jets, Bombardier Q400 and B737 freighter.
From early June, SpiceJet will launch daily flight services between Andal to Mumbai, Mumbai to Andal, Chennai to Andal and Andal to Chennai under UDAN – 3 Scheme. There will be 189 seats and Boeing 737-800 aircraft will be used in these two routes. The promotional price offer have been fixed at Rs.3701.
“We are presently working on the flight schedules and timings for both the routes as we intend to give connectivity to other SpiceJet flights so that the passengers don’t need help from further Visiting Friends and Relatives to catch their next destination flights. At present SpiceJet operates 23 flights under UDAN routes,”he said.
SpiceJet has registered a profit of Rs.51 crores in the last quarter and consistently have shown profits since the last 36 months. It’s share prices are also increasing. Out of this, 10 flights will be in Eastern India.
Kolkata-Lilabari flight services have started and soon Kolkata-Gwalior flight services will start.