SpiceJet marked its entry in service with Rs 99 fares for the first 99 days, following it up with a Rs 999 promotional scheme on select routes with about 9,000 seats available at this rate.
SpiceJet is a low-cost airline based in New Delhi, India. It began service in May 2005 with three aircraft, flying to five destinations. It was voted as the best low-cost airline in South Asia and Central Asia region by Skytrax in 2007 for its services, efficiency, connectivity and value for money over other low cost carriers. SpiceJet was earlier known as Royal Airways, a reincarnation of ModiLuft. SpiceJet marked its entry in service with Rs 99 fares for the first 99 days, following it up with a Rs 999 promotional scheme on select routes with about 9,000 seats available at this rate.
The marketing policy of the airline is to offer low fares and great customer services to the price conscious, budget travellers. The aim was to wean them away from AC rail travel. SpiceJet operates over 110 flights daily to 19 cities—Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Bagdogra, Chennai, Cochin, Coimbatore, Delhi, Guwahati, Goa, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jammu, Kolkata, Mumbai, Port Blair, Pune, Srinagar, Varanasi and Vizag. With a Technical Dispatch Reliability of 99.6 per cent, better than the world average and with On Time Performance of over 80 per cent, it has become the airline of choice for all.
As of April 2008, the SpiceJet fleet composition was as under:
• Boeing 737-800: 15
• Boeing 737-900ER: Four
The Boeing 737-800 aircraft are in single class configuration with 189 seats and 212 seats on the Boeing 737-900ER. The average age of the aircraft in the fleet is one-and-a-half years. This year, the airline will take delivery of five more aircraft to embellish the fleet strength.
The airline’s plans to enlarge the fleet to 25 and add 10 more aircraft between 2009 and 2011 is likely to be reviewed on account of the context of rising fuel prices.
