SpiceJet, the leading private airline of India has started operating flights between New Delhi and Kathmandu from Thursday, offering low cost airfare.
The SpiceJet started its scheduled flight to Kathmandu as its first international destination.
The airlines' 189 seater Boeing 737-800 landed in Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport on Thursday with Samyukth Sridharan, the chief commercial officer of SpiceJet, on board the inaugural flight.
"As Nepal is observing Nepal Tourism Year next year, we are eager to help the tourism industry here by bringing more tourists from India", said Sridharan.
"Our low airfare will be beneficial to both the Nepali as well as Indian air passengers. We are getting great response from Nepal as we flew in 173 passengers with more than 90 per cent of our total capacity in the first flight," he said.
SpiceJet is currently operating flights to and from Kathmandu six days a week.
SpiceJet, known for its low cost service, opened up with NRs 3,000 one way air fare between Kathmandu and Delhi and is offering as less as Rs 2,400 per flight, he said.
Before SpiceJet's introduction the minimum rate for Kathmandu-Delhi flight was NRs 6,000.
He said that the airline is planning to operate three flights a day between Kathmandu and Indian cities in the near future.
