SpiceJet, an Indian low-cost airline, has announced that it will be expanding its network widely from the newly opened Ayodhya Airport in Uttar Pradesh. The airline, which focuses on tier 2 and 3 connections, hopes to capitalise on the growing interest in visiting Ayodhya, particularly in the wake of the opening of a temple honouring the Hindu Lord Ram.
From Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, Ayodhya Dham (AYJ), the airline plans to start operating new routes that would connect it to eight different locations, including Delhi, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Patna, Darbhanga, Mumbai, and Bengaluru.
Jyotiraditya Scindia, India's Minister of Civil Aviation, will officially launch these flights on February 1. SpiceJet has carefully chosen important Indian locations where it believes there would be high demand for Ayodhya travel.
SpiceJet's objective of improving regional connections and giving customers a variety of travel options is in line with this growth. In order to accommodate people attending the temple event, the airline earlier ran a special trip from Delhi to Ayodhya on January 21. The return flight was also scheduled for that same day.
SpiceJet has announced a special deal on non-stop domestic and international flights, good for travel between January 22 and September 30, in honor of the new temple's opening.
With the opening of the Ram Temple, which attracted over 500,000 visitors on its first day alone, Ayodhya's fame has increased. Airlines are seizing this chance quickly; in January, IndiGo became the first to arrive in Ayodhya, and a number of other carriers announced that they will be starting flights from the new airport shortly after.
The almost $42 million Maharishi Valmiki International Airport in Ayodhya Dham was officially opened on December 30 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The airport has a 6,500 square meter terminal building that can handle approximately 600,000 passengers a year and 300 people during peak hours.
Airlines are already launching several routes to Ayodhya, as the city is set to become a popular pilgrimage destination. It is anticipated that additional carriers will follow suit, hence increasing the number of services offered to this location.
IndiGo Announces Direct Flight from Bengaluru to Bali
Air India Express Introduces Lite Fares for Hand Baggage Only
Choosing Thales AVANT Up IFE for More Than 50 Widebody Aircraft, Air India
IndiGo will extend its cargo operations by the end of February, with a focus on China
Emirates Wants to Launch Flights from Miami to Bogotá
At Delhi Airport, an IndiGo Airbus A320 veers off the taxiway and briefly blocks the runway
SpiceJet Gets Approval from Seven Indian Cities for Hajj Flights