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GURUGRAM, October 04, 2018 : SpiceJet, the country’s favourite carrier,
today operated its first daily direct flight on the Kolkata-Pakyong (Gangtok)-Kolkata
route. The first direct flight was flagged off from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose
International Airport, Kolkata. SpiceJet was awarded Pakyong (Gangtok) under UDAN II
and is the airline’s ninth destination under the scheme.
SpiceJet is the first and only airline to offer daily direct air connectivity between
Kolkata and Pakyong thus providing much needed air connectivity to the North-Eastern
State of Sikkim. Pakyong airport is the only operational civil airport handling
commercial operations in the State. SpiceJet will launch a second flight connecting
Guwahati with Pakyong from October 16.
A traditional lamp lighting ceremony was organized marking the inauguration of the
operations and the first passenger was welcomed by SpiceJet officials. In line with the
aviation tradition to mark key milestones, the flight which was flagged off from
Kolkata, was greeted with a grand water cannon salute upon its arrival at Pakyong
airport.
With the launch of the new flight services, passengers from Pakyong can now conveniently
travel to a host of other cities both on SpiceJet’s domestic as well as international
network via multiple onward connections from Kolkata.
Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet said, “Today is a
proud moment for SpiceJet and a historic one for Indian aviation as we have put Sikkim
on India’s aviation map. SpiceJet is the first and only airline to connect this
majestic state with the rest of the country and beyond and will be connecting Pakyong
with Guwahati from October 16th. Our new flights will provide a major boost to tourism
and we are proud to contribute to the growth story of this vibrant state.”
In the absence of direct air connectivity to the State, tourists headed for Sikkim had
to fly to Bagdogra and then take a road journey of over 100 km to reach Gangtok. With
the introduction of the direct flights from Pakyong the extra travel time will now be
avoided.
The Pakyong airport, the country’s 100th operational airport, is an engineering marvel
situated at a height of more than 4,500 feet. On March 10, SpiceJet had successfully
operated a test flight to Pakyong making it the first civil fixed aircraft to land at
the airport.
SpiceJet will be deploying its Bombardier Q-400 aircraft on the route.
Sectors on which SpiceJet now operates or has announced UDAN flights are
Surat-Jaisalmer-Surat, Ahmedabad-Jaisalmer-Ahmedabad, Mumbai-Porbandar,
Mumbai-Kandla-Mumbai, Hyderabad-Puducherry-Hyderabad, Jaipur-Jaisalmer-Jaipur,
Delhi-Adampur-Delhi, Chennai-Hubli-Chennai, Hyderabad-Hubli-Hyderabad,
Delhi-Kanpur-Delhi, Delhi-Kishangarh–Delhi, Kolkata-Pakyong-Kolkata and
Pakyong-Guwahati-Pakyong.
Bookings are now open on www.spicejet.com,
SpiceJet’s mobile app and through online travel portals and travel agents.
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