Leading low cost carrier SpiceJet today announced that it will fly to international destinations from October 7, with the first flight from New Delhi to Kathmandu.
"Driven by the confidence vested in us by our stakeholders and their encouragement over the past five years, we are now excited to begin this new chapter in the success story of SpiceJet," the company's Director and interim CEO, Kishore Gupta, said in a statement.
After Kathmandu, the airline, owned by media baron Kalanithi Maran, will also launch daily flights on the Chennai-Colombo route from October 9. However, the flights to Kathmandu will be operated 6 days a week.
"We are delighted to welcome Colombo and Kathmandu as a part of our new global network and look forward to extending our hospitality to our passengers in this new phase of growth," SpiceJet's Chief Commercial Officer, Samyukth Sridharan, said.
Bookings for both Kathmandu and Colombo are now open, said the statement.
SpiceJet, which completes five years of domestic operations this month, a mandatory requirement to launch international flights, has already got the government's nod to fly on two more routes, Male and Dhaka.
The low-cost carrier, which will induct seven more aircraft into its fleet this year, will use the new aircraft on international routes.
The airline currently has 21 aircraft in its fleet and has also placed orders with Boeing for 30 new aircraft in a deal worth $2.7 billion. Deliveries of these planes are scheduled to begin in 2014.
Last week, an Empowered Committee of the Civil Aviation Ministry had also given in-principle approval for the import of these aircraft.
Sun TV Chief Kalanithi Maran had acquired a 37.7 per cent stake in the second largest no-frills carrier in June. However, an open offer by Maran for an additional 20 per cent stake, which was to be launched in August, has got delayed due to some technical issues with the market regulator Sebi.
The new promoters are yet to announce fresh dates for the open offer.
Shares of the company were being quoted at Rs 76.15 apiece on the BSE today, up 0.6 per cent.
