SpiceJet to be first to offer mobile phone connectivity on flights, says Ajay Singh

Ajay Singh, CMD Spicejet, during an exclusive talk with Zee Business's Sameer Dixit said that the airliner will be starting 21 flights under phase-II of Udan, the regional connectivity scheme. He added, that through the proposed charter, the government wants to bring international standards to India and this is a welcome step.  Over and above that, Singh said that his airline would be the first to offer in-flight connectivity - the proposal was cleared today itself by the Telecom Commission. Check out here the edited excerpts from the interview:

Q: You have added one more destination under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS). Where does Spicejet stand in the network and what is the plan to connect other destinations, like Kanpur?

A: RCS Udan Yojana is one of the best plans of the incumbent Modi government. As you know that under the scheme, we are operating flights between Mumbai and Porbandar, Mumbai to Kandla, Hyderabad to Pondicherry, Delhi to Jaipur and Jaipur to Jaisalmer. SpiceJet is the first airline that participated in the scheme. Today, we are going to connect Adampur and will try to connect Kanpur in the month of May. In the addition, under phase-II of the Udan scheme, we are planning to start new flights from 21 destinations. Flights to these destinations will be started as soon as the airports become functional. 

Q: Do you have any intention of starting international connectivity from North Eastern region of the country? 

A: At present, we are working on a plan and will inform you about it as soon as any decision is made in this direction. Secondly, we have started several flights in  North Eastern region. In fact, Spicejet is the biggest airline functional in North East. In addition, the North Eastern region is a focus area of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as the Civil Aviation Minister Jayant Sinha. 

Q: The Telecom Commission opened the way for in-flight connectivity, today. How do you see this step as an airline operator? 

A: It is a welcome step. I feel every airline along with SpiceJet will welcome the decision of the Telecom Commission. Secondly, Spicejet will be the first airline to provide the in-flight connectivity facility to its passengers in India. 

Q: What is your opinion on the proposed passenger charter as an airline operator? Can you tell us about the concern areas of the charter or suggestions that should be brought into practice for its betterment?

A: See, the convenience of a passenger is paramount for us and should be the same with other operators. Through the charter, the government is planning to bring-in international norms to India for the benefit of air passengers. There are certain things like the crowd at airports as well as problems related to ATC that are out of our control. If there is any difficulty, then we will try to control it at our own level.