SpiceJet takes off UDAN: Budget carrier to start two daily flights on Mumbai-Durgapur route from June 25

Budget carrier SpiceJet on Friday announced two daily flights on the Mumbai-Durgapur route from June 25 under the regional connectivity scheme UDAN. The Durgapur-Mumbai-Durgapur route was awarded to SpiceJet under the third phase of UDAN scheme and is exclusive to the airline, thereby making it the only carrier to offer flight services on the sector. SpiceJet will be deploying its Boeing 737 aircraft on this route.
 
From June 25 onwards, the flight would leave Mumbai airport every day at 1.55 pm and land at Durgapur airport at 4.10 pm. The returning flight would depart from Durgapur at 4.50 pm and arrive in Mumbai at 7.05 pm. Durgapur will be 13th destination for the airline under the UDAN scheme. The Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) scheme of the central government is a subsidised low fare initiative to connect small cities and to help more people fly.
 
"The new flights reiterate the airline's commitment to augmenting connectivity between metro and non-metro cities. SpiceJet will also be launching its Chennai-Durgapur-Chennai UDAN flight in the current summer schedule," the airline said. SpiceJet currently operates 35 flights under the UDAN scheme.

"Durgapur's Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport, located at Andal, is India's first private-sector greenfield airport. It serves both the industrial cities of Durgapur and Asansol. The new flights will further strengthen SpiceJet's network in the state of West Bengal," the budget carrier said. The airline currently operates from Kolkata and Bagdogra in the state.