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Hyderabad’s RGIA to be a key base for SpiceJet’s Q-400 operations

Direct News Source

08-Apr-2011 Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) will be the first base for SpiceJet’s operations using its brand new fleet of Bombardier Q-400 NextGen aircraft.

The aircraft will be serving Tier-II & Tier-III destinations like Aurangabad, Bhubaneswar, Goa, Indore, Madurai, Mangalore, Nagpur, Nasik, Raipur, Rajahmundry, Tirupati, and Vijayawada. The Q-400 operations are expected to begin in July 2011.

Commenting on choosing Hyderabad as an important hub for its regional operations, Neil Mills, Chief Executive Officer- SpiceJet Limited, says, "The Hyderabad Airport provides state of the art infrastructure support for our plans for the Q-400 aircraft. The South Central location of Hyderabad reduces flying time to any of the regional cities by 15-20 minutes, in comparison to other metros in the South. The location advantage of Hyderabad will allow us to explore and develop markets in the west, central and eastern part of the country apart from the strong consumer markets of the south. Hyderabad thus has the potential to become one of the main gateways in India and a key part of our Q-400 operations."

SpiceJet already has a well developed network in South India with the current B-737 fleet with 18 daily departures ex-Hyderabad and connections to all major Indian cities. With the expansion of the network to Tier-II and Tier-III cities using the Q-400 NextGen aircraft, SpiceJet plans to develop a high frequency and point-to-point to network linking Hyderabad to these cities.

"We believe that the enormous potential in the Indian domestic market can be further tapped by enhancing regional connectivity in the country by focusing on Tier II and Tier III cities. We have selected the Q400 NextGen turboprop aircraft from Bombardier Inc. of Canada to facilitate this objective. We see a very robust and latent demand in these under-serviced sectors and expect that the value-for-money SpiceJet offering will help grow traffic significantly from the current levels. ", adds Mr. Mills.

RGIA has emerged as the preferred destination for both airlines and passengers and is well equipped to handle the additional traffic. The airport has world class infrastructure including adequate parking bays, hydrant based fuel farm and excellent ground handling facilities for the aircraft. For the passengers, provision for enough check-in counters, 4 level baggage screening systems, large retail area and excellent connectivity to the city will ensure that flying out of Hyderabad will be a satisfying experience for all SpiceJetters.

Commenting on SpiceJet's decision to base the Q-400 fleet in Hyderabad, Vikram Jaisinghani, Chief Executive Officer, GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited, says "We are very happy withSpiceJet Chairman Shri KalanithiMaran'sdecision to choose Hyderabad as the first and key base for its regional operations with the brand new fleet of Q400 aircraft. Passengers in the Tier II and Tier III towns in the vicinity of Hyderabad Airport will now have very good connectivity to Hyderabad. Further, the passengers will be able to enjoy a truly world class experience of transiting via Hyderabad, the World's No. 1 Airport, to other domestic and international destinations. This strengthens our plans to make Hyderabad as the leading gateway to South and Central India."