THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state capitals of Kerala and Andhra Pradesh have become closer as never before and cheaper at just ` 1,499 per traveller. SpiceJet Limited, one of the preferred budget airlines in the country and winner of many awards, has started commercial flights directly connecting Thiruvananthapuram to Hyderabad and Chennai.The first Hyderabad-Thiruvananthapuram low cost non-stop flight landed at the International Airport here at 8.55 am on Thursday, after a one-and-a-half-hour sortie. It also marked the commencement of the first direct flight on this route by any airline.SpiceJet also commenced its Kochi-Chennai service the other day. The schedules are being operated with its brand new fleet of Q-400 NextGen turboprop aircraft.The airline has connected Thiruvananthapuram to Hyderabad and Chennai with daily services, offering affordable services to tourists and air travellers. It will have an addition of a second flight on this route from November 11, said Neil Raymond Mills, CEO of SpiceJet, addressing mediapersons here on Friday.“There was a lot of demand from air travellers in the sector. To be in the airline industry, you have to be brave, though it may seem illogical,” replied the British/South African to a query on the rationale behind launching services in the Thiruvananthapuram-Hyderabad sector.“We are going to tap all opportunities, based on demand, even within Kerala,” he said. He said that SpiceJet has been fast expanding its domestic footprint with the brand new fleet of the latest Q-400 NextGen turboprop aircraft from Bombardier. SpiceJet’s fleet expansion aims at enhanced air connectivity to cities and towns in different tiers.In the first phase of the Q-400 operations, the airline will connect Hyderabad to 12 popular Tier II and Tier III destinations - Aurangabad, Bhopal, Goa, Indore, Madurai, Mangalore, Nagpur, Pune, Rajahmundry, Tirupati and Vijayawada, apart from Thiruvananthapuram.The Q-400 NextGen turboprop aircraft can accommodate 78 passengers and is widely accepted as the best short-haul plane globally. SpiceJet had placed an order for 30 such aircrafts and had already taken delivery of the first five aircrafts in early September. The delivery of the next two aircrafts are expected by this month end, said S Natarajan, chief operating officer, SUN Network, which owns the airline.Tickets can be booked through www.spicejet.com or Toll Free Reservation at 1800 180 3333 / 0987 180 3333, apart from Travel Agents.
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