New Delhi: SpiceJet on Wednesday announced the launch of its seaplane service between Ahmedabad (Sabarmati riverfront) and the Statue of Unity in Kevadia, Gujarat from October 31.
The flights will be operated by SpiceJet’s fully-owned subsidiary, Spice Shuttle. Its 15-seater Twin Otter 300 aircraft will operate two daily flights on the Ahmedabad-Kevadia route.
According to SpiceJet statement, the one-way fares will begin from Rs. 1500/- under the UDAN scheme and tickets will be available from 30 October, 2020 onwards.
According to sources, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take the official inaugural flight on October 31- the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
The aircraft will depart from the Sabarmati Riverfront, Ahmedabad at 10:15 am and will reach the Statue of Unity, Kevadia at 10:45 am.
Ajay Singh, Chairman & Managing Director, SpiceJet, said, “The launch of our first seaplane service will be remembered as one of the most notable events in the history of Indian aviation. We, at SpiceJet, feel proud to have played a role in fulfilling our Prime Minister’s vision of connecting the remotest parts of the country by air."
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SpiceJet CMD said that seaplane service between the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad and Statue of Unity in Kevadia will cut down travel time to just about half an hour and will be a unique, exhilarating flying experience that would immensely boost travel and tourism.
"Infrastructural challenges have been a key deterrent for providing air connectivity to smaller towns and cities. With the ability to land on a small water body, seaplanes are the perfect flying machines that can effectively connect the remotest parts of India into the mainstream aviation network without the high cost of building airports and runways,” he added.
SpiceJet said that it has conducted thorough seaplane trials in India since 2017 and claimed that it is the only Indian airline to explore air connectivity through water bodies such as rivers or inland waterways.
While under the first phase, trials of the land plane were conducted in Nagpur and Guwahati, the second phase involved the amphibious aircraft for which trials were held at Mumbai’s Girgaum Chowpatty.
Seaplanes have the ability to land and take-off from water thus offering access to areas that do not have landing strips or runways. Reliable, tough and resilient, these smaller fixed wing aircraft can land on water bodies, gravel and grass. Seaplanes can land in water bodies like lakes, backwaters and dams thus offering easy access to numerous tourist spots as well.
SpiceJet has secured 18 seaplane routes under the UDAN which includes – Ahmedabad-Kevadia (Sabarmati River Front to Statue of Unity, Sardar Sarovar), Agatti-Minicoy, Agatti-Kavaratti among others.
