SpiceJet discontinues Hyd-Ayodhya flight

Mumbai: Ajay Singh-promoted no-frills carrier SpiceJet has discontinued its direct flight services to Ayodhya from Hyderabad within two months of its launch, citing demand issue.

The Gurugram-based airline had started its three times a week non-stops flight services on the Hyderabad-Ayodhya route from early April this year.

"SpiceJet has discontinued its non-stop flight services to Ayodhya from Hyderabad from June 1," a source at the GMR Group-operated Hyderabad International Airport said. The airline was operating these services thrice a week to the temple town from the Telangana capital.

"Flight schedule is driven solely by commercial considerations and demand," SpiceJet spokesperson said in a statement. "(But) we are still operating the services to Chennai from Ayodhya," the spokesperson said.

The Maharishi Valmiki International Airport in Ayodhya was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 30. Significantly, SpiceJet had operated a special flight to Ayodhya from the national capital on January 21 for flying people attending the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple. On January 31, it announced starting its flight services to Ayodhya from eight cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Bengaluru, Patna and Darbhanga, from February 1.