SpiceJet, one of India’s leading low-cost airlines, has announced its plans to connect more tourist and religious places in the country, following the launch of its flights to Ayodhya, the holy city of Lord Rama.
Ayodhya flights
On February 1, 2024, SpiceJet inaugurated its direct flight service connecting Ayodhya with eight cities: Delhi, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Patna, Darbhanga, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. The flights are operated from the newly built Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, also known as Ayodhya Dham Airport (AYJ), which was inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, and Minister of State V K Singh.
SpiceJet’s chairman and managing director Ajay Singh said that every large and small city today wants connectivity with Ayodhya, which he believes will become one of the leading tourism destinations in the world. “There is no doubt that Ayodhya will be one of the leading tourism destination in the world. Just like you hear Vatican or Mecca, I have no doubt that Ayodhya will become the largest tourist destination in the world,” he said .
Expansion plans
Singh also revealed that SpiceJet plans to expand its business over the next two years and increase connectivity between various tourist and religious destinations, including Lakshadweep. He said that the airline already has the licence to operate seaplanes and is awaiting infrastructure development for water ports. He added that SpiceJet hopes to start air cargo services using wide-body aircraft not just within the country but also overseas, including large commercial centres across the globe .
Singh also said that the company aims to complete the listing process on NSE soon. “We have applied already. We are pushing to just as soon as possible. We have a few meetings over the next two-three days to ensure we shorten the process of listing as soon as possible,” he said .
SpiceJet is one of the fastest-growing airlines in India, with a fleet of over 100 aircraft and a network of over 60 domestic and 15 international destinations. The airline is known for its innovative and customer-friendly services, such as SpiceMax seats, SpiceClub loyalty program, SpiceXpress cargo service, and SpiceHealth healthcare initiative.