Indian low cost carrier SpiceJet plans to expand its business model by providing a whole different kind of connectivity…
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SpiceJet will add seaplane flights as of 2025
SpiceJet currently has a fleet of nearly 100 aircraft, comprised of Boeing 737s and De Havilland Dash 8s. Starting next year, the airline plans to relaunch a wholly owned subsidiary, which will specifically operate seaplane flights, with 14-seat De Havilland DHC-6s.
The airline had briefly tried this concept in 2020, under the name Spice Shuttle, flying from the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad to the Statue of Unity in Kevadia, Gujarat. However, it quickly got shut down due to the pandemic.
Executives at the airline think that the company is now better positioned to actually operate these kinds of flights profitably. The airline is first looking at operating around 20 routes within India, including to Lakshadweep, Hyderabad, Guwahati, and Shillong. The idea is that seaplanes can be valuable given the diverse geography of India, with coastlines, islands, and riverine regions, which can cause infrastructure challenges.
The announcement about this was made today by SpiceJet Chairman Ajay Singh, who said the following:
“Seaplanes have the potential to transform India’s regional connectivity, opening up access to some of the most stunning, yet remote, parts of the country. SpiceJet has always dared to dream big and with the support of visionary leaders like Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Union Minister K Rammohan Naidu, we are taking concrete steps to bring seaplane operations to life in India once again.”
Spice Shuttle is being run by Avani Singh, the daughter of the chairman. What’s her airline experience? Well, as some media stories in India describe her credentials, she’s “an MBA from Wharton and an alumna of Stanford University.” Okay then. Here’s what she had to say:
“Our journey in regional connectivity has been a purposeful one, rooted in the belief that everyone, no matter how remote, deserves access to affordable and efficient air travel, and today, we are excited to be at the forefront of seaplane operations in India.”
I’m curious if this concept succeeds
I’ve gotta be honest, I don’t know enough about demand in rural Indian markets to know whether or not this plan will succeed. A couple of things do come to mind, though.
For one, it’s interesting to see a low cost airline launching this concept, since this isn’t typically in line with what you’d expect from an airline that prides itself in how low it can get its cost per seat mile. Admittedly this will be a subsidiary, but still.
Next, it seems like this will likely primarily be run to independently serve point-to-point markets, rather than this being all about integration into the larger SpiceJet network. Seaplanes have high costs per seat mile, given how few seats there are, and the short distances they fly. The model works great in places like the Maldives, where people are willing to pay hundreds of dollars for short flights to luxury resorts. Will the same work in India, though?
Lastly, the timing here is interesting, since SpiceJet has been struggling financially. While the airline was successful for a long time, it’s now losing money, and the situation is so bad that the airline has dozens of planes grounded because it can’t afford to fly them. So it seems like an unusual time to launch something risky like this.
Bottom line
SpiceJet plans to launch seaplane operations in 2025, marking a resumption of a project that was first launched in 2020, but was ultimately discontinued. It’s not every day that you see a low cost carrier launch seaplane flights, so I look forward to seeing this succeeds. SpiceJet isn’t in a good spot, so… I guess we’ll see.
What do you make of SpiceJet launching seaplane flights?
As someone of Indian descent, this makes sense to me, especially when it comes to religious tourism. Places like Somnath in the western part of India don’t have nearby airports.
Spicejet may have a "fleet" of 100 aircraft on paper, but less than 20 have been operational until a few weeks ago due to the horrendous financial situation they have been in. Staff had not received their salaries for 4 months, fuel suppliers cut them off and they had to fly planes empty from some airports since check-in counters wouldn't be allowed to open due to past dues. Take anything they say with a huge pinch of salt.
i agree with he guest's opinion it is nepotism mr singh has political support from certain politicians of the ruling party he has got lot of debts borrowed from govt owned banks and investors dontknow whether he will be able to repay them with interest. many of his leased planes are on the ground, due to non availability of engines
and due to his failure to pay outstanding balances to engine suppliers he is...
i agree with he guest's opinion it is nepotism mr singh has political support from certain politicians of the ruling party he has got lot of debts borrowed from govt owned banks and investors dontknow whether he will be able to repay them with interest. many of his leased planes are on the ground, due to non availability of engines
and due to his failure to pay outstanding balances to engine suppliers he is facing several law suits from leasing companies from state courts and supreme court. he is just diverting the attention of the consumers and lenders he is trying to get some cash from this seaplane business and use it for the airlines. i doubt very much he is going to fail miserably and ending in loss.
"The model works great in places like the Maldives, where people are willing to pay hundreds of dollars for short flights to luxury resorts. Will the same work in India, though?"
Why not? There are plenty of wealthy people in India who are willing to pay a premium for a more comfortable travel experience.
And the Lakshadweep archipelago is quite similar to the Maldives in terms of location and isolated tropical-island vibes. India is interested...
"The model works great in places like the Maldives, where people are willing to pay hundreds of dollars for short flights to luxury resorts. Will the same work in India, though?"
Why not? There are plenty of wealthy people in India who are willing to pay a premium for a more comfortable travel experience.
And the Lakshadweep archipelago is quite similar to the Maldives in terms of location and isolated tropical-island vibes. India is interested in developing it into a tourist destination. That's probably why SpiceJet included Lakshadweep in their list of seaplane routes.
I suspect this route is about tourism and sightseeing. Statue of Unity is a huge tourist attraction in the middle of nowhere and Ahmedabad is the nearest major city. Think of this like a flight from downtown Denver to Mount Rushmore.
Nepotism.
Maybe they should brand it as Spice-Sea (Spicy).