Spicejet airline tickets to cost Rs 99

Spicejet today entered the low-cost airline sector in India with special fares of Rs 99 for the first 99 days of its operation.

The airline will operate its first commercial flight on May 23 with services between Delhi and Mumbai via Ahmedabad, Spicejet CEO Mark Winders said today.

"We are not only committed to extending the low airfare phenomenon to India, but we also want to link it to strong quality quest services focus," he said.

The airliner launched its website for online ticket bookings and offered the first ticket to union tourism minister Renuka Chowdhury who was present on the occasion.

The company will charge airfare slightly above that of AC III tier trains, winders said, adding "a whole new market is coming up in the low-cost travel."

The airline will offer 9,000 tickets for Rs 99 during the offer period with a minimum of five and a maximum of 20 seats on each flight.

Spicejet will launch its operation on monday with two aircraft and gradually expand its services after it adds another plane to its fleet in June.

"By January 2006, we plan to add 10 brand new Boeing 737-800 aircraft and target to have a fleet of 20-30 airplanes in the next two-three years," Winders said.