SpiceJet to start US flights; only private carrier to get permit under 'air bubble' agreement

SpiceJet on Thursday said it has been designated as the 'Indian scheduled carrier' to operate flights to the US, which will allow the airline to fly to US under the air bubble agreement between the two countries.

In a regulatory filing, the  Gurugram-based airline said, "In terms of the Air Services Agreement between the Government of India and the Government of the United States of America, SpiceJet has been designated as Indian scheduled carrier to operate on agreed service between India and the USA".

SpiceJet would be the first Indian budget carrier to operate services to the United States.

At present, only Air India is operating flights on India-US routes, through the Vande Bharat Mission to repatriate Indian citizens.

SpiceJet currently operates a fleet of Boeing 737s and Bombardier Q400s. SpiceJet fleet stands at 121. The low-cost airline has 82 Boeing 737, two Airbus A320, 32 Bombardier Q-400s and five B737 freighters. This year in February, the airline inducted two Airbus A320 aircraft on wet-lease.

All scheduled commercial passenger flights were suspended in India on March 25 after the Central government imposed a nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19. Domestic flights in the country resumed operations from May 25.

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