Tourists are eyeing the seaplane service being resumed between Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati Riverfront and Kevadia’s Statue of Unity. On December 8, SpiceJet had announced that it would resume its seaplane operations from December 27 with two daily flights on the route. It is expected to resume on December 30.
The much-talked-about seaplane service that was halted since November 26 due to technical reasons is expected to resume operations from December 30.
Tourists are eyeing the seaplane service being resumed between Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati Riverfront and Kevadia’s Statue of Unity. On December 8, SpiceJet had announced that it would resume its seaplane operations from December 27 with two daily flights on the route. It is expected to resume on December 30.
However, in a subsequent statement, the airline postponed the date of resumption of services.
“The aircraft that landed in Kochi on Monday morning will continue its halt overnight and only take off for Goa on Tuesday morning. It has received landing permissions and it will arrive in Goa at 11.30am for refueling. It will then depart for Ahemdabad around 2.30pm,” said the source.
SpiceJet spokesperson confirmed that the aircraft landed in the country. “SpiceJet’s seaplane has arrived in India today (Monday) morning,” the spokesperson said. The airlines, in a statement issued to a publication in Ahmedabad, insisted that the date of resumption of seaplane services would be December 30.
“As clarified through a subsequent press statement, we had clearly stated that our seaplane operations would resume on December 30, for which bookings are already open,” said the spokesperson on Monday.
The seaplane service commenced on October 31 after being inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It was planned to boost tourism to the Statue of Unity. However, the services were shut since November 26 due to maintenance issues.
The aircraft – a 19-seater Twin Otter 300 – was sent back to the Maldives as it is the property of a Maldivian company, said sources in the ministry of civil aviation (MoCA).
It is the first seaplane to operate under the government’s Udey Desh ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN) project. The service is being operated by Spice Shuttle, a fully-owned subsidiary of SpiceJet, which wet-leased the seaplane from Maldives Island Aviation Services (MIAS). MIAS is owned by the government of Maldives, making both the aircraft and its crew the property of a foreign entity.
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