SpiceJet discontinues Hyderabad-Ayodhya direct flight, says 'scheduling driven by demand'

SpiceJet has reportedly stopped its direct flights between Hyderabad and Ayodhya as of June 1, just two months after starting the route on April 2. 

The Gurugram-based airline had started its three times a week non-stops flight services on the Hyderabad-Ayodhya route from early April this year. “Flight scheduling is driven solely by commercial considerations and demand,” a SpiceJet spokesperson told BT TV. 

Passengers from Hyderabad to Ayodhya with SpiceJet are reportedly going through a layover at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, making the total flight time seven hours and 25 minutes. BT could not independently verify this arrangement for fliers. 

"(But) we are still operating the services to Chennai from Ayodhya," the spokesperson added.

The Maharishi Valmiki International Airport in Ayodhya was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 30. Significantly, SpiceJet had operated a special flight to Ayodhya from the national capital on January 21 for flying people attending the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple.

On January 31, it announced starting its flight services to Ayodhya from eight cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Bengaluru, Patna and Darbhanga, from February 1.