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Business News/ News / India/  SpiceJet begins Delhi to Sikkim's Pakyong daily flight under RCS-UDAN
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SpiceJet begins Delhi to Sikkim's Pakyong daily flight under RCS-UDAN

The Pakyong airport is the only operational civil airport handling commercial flight operations in Sikkim

SpiceJet recommences Delhi-Pakyong-Delhi flight under RCS-UDANPremium
SpiceJet recommences Delhi-Pakyong-Delhi flight under RCS-UDAN

Budget carrier SpiceJet, which was the first domestic operator to land a commercial flight at Sikkim''s Pakyong airport from Kolkata in early October of 2018, has now connected the aerodrome from Delhi with a non-stop daily service.

The air services on the new route, to be operated by a Bombardier 400 aircraft, is offered under the government''s regional connectivity scheme UDAN, SpiceJet said on Friday.

Besides, the airline said it will also add a second frequency on the Delhi-Leh-Delhi sector from January 27 onwards.

The Pakyong airport is the only operational civil airport handling commercial flight operations in Sikkim, and SpiceJet will be the first and only airline to offer daily direct air connectivity between Delhi and the northeastern state, it said.

SpiceJet Chairman and Managing Director Ajay Singh said, "We are delighted to launch new flights connecting Pakyong and Leh to the national capital. Sikkim is one of the most beautiful and sought-after travel destinations in India."

He added that the flights from Delhi to Pakyong (Gangtok) will cater to the growing demand of leisure travellers and backpackers who want to visit this beautiful city in the foothills of Himalayas.

With the launch of these new flights, SpiceJet aims to make journeys shorter, he added.

SpiceJet was awarded Pakyong along with Delhi under the second phase of the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme.

State Health Minister M K Sharma, senior officials of the Tourism Department and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) were present at the airport.

"This was the first commercial flight from Delhi to Pakyong," a senior tourism official told PTI.

The weather conditions were suitable for the aircraft to land safely on the 1.7 km by 30 m runway, he said.

The direct Delhi-Pakyong flight will boost tourism and also help locals visit Delhi for medical emergencies, Sharma said.

The airport, built by the AAI at an estimated cost of 605 crore, is located at a height of 4,646 feet and is one of the five highest airports in the country.

With new flight services, passengers from Pakyong and Leh can travel to a host of other cities both on SpiceJet''s domestic as well as international network via multiple onward connections from Delhi, the airline said.

SpiceJet commenced services to Pakyong Airport on October 5, 2018, nearly two weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated it, with a direct flight from Kolkata under UDAN.

The airline, however, temporarily discontinued the services from June 2019 till further notice, reportedly owing to unpredictable weather in Pakyong. Low visibility was impacting the flight operations there.

*With inputs from agencies

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Published: 24 Jan 2021, 07:46 AM IST
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