In a statement the airline said, “SpiceJet has partnered in seaplane trials across multiple locations, providing crucial engineering, technical, and logistical support to De Havilland.”
SpiceJet’s seaplane project is being led by Avani Singh, daughter of SpiceJet CMD Ajay Singh. She is the CEO of Spice Shuttle. In a note, she was quoted as saying, “Seaplanes can be a true game-changer for a country like ours, where diverse geographies, coastlines, islands, and riverine regions often present infrastructure challenges. We are excited to be at the forefront of seaplane operations in India.”
SpiceJet CMD Ajay Singh and Avani Singh, CEO of Spice Shuttle, joined Hon’ble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Sh. N. Chandrababu Naidu and Union Minister of Civil Aviation Sh. K. Rammohan Naidu in Vijayawada for a special demonstration of seaplane operations. Together, they… pic.twitter.com/PWOT6FcaJY
— SpiceJet (@flyspicejet) November 9, 2024
The airline currently holds rights to operate seaplane services on 20 routes, including Lakshadweep, Hyderabad, Guwahati, and Shillong. The budget carrier is aiming to roll out connectivity across key routes as soon as infrastructure is available.
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Ajay Singh said, “Seaplanes have the potential to transform India’s regional connectivity, opening up access to some of the most stunning, yet remote, parts of the country. We are taking concrete steps to bring seaplane operations to life in India once again.”
SpiceJet operated the country’s first scheduled seaplane service in October 2020, linking the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad to the Statue of Unity in Kevadia, Gujarat. The services were paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The trial was attended by Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N Chandrababu Naidu and Union Minister of Civil Aviation Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu.
(Edited by : Jerome Anthony)