Ahmedabad: The aircraft used in India’s first seaplane service from Ahmedabad to Kevadia, which was sent to the Maldives for maintenance, is in fact, operating as a regular flight there. Seaplane services here have been suspended since November 28, citing that a wet and dry dock which is required for major maintenance of the aircraft is unavailable in India, due to which it was sent to the Maldives.
Officials of SpiceJet, the airline operating the service, confirmed that the aircraft has been operating a flight in the Maldives for the time being. Explaining this, a SpiceJet official, said, “Besides its weekly maintenance, the seaplane requires thorough maintenance every four to six months, for which a wet-and-dry dock is needed. Such a dock is still under construction at the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad, near the seaplane jetty and therefore, the aircraft was sent to the Maldives in November-end.”
“It is not viable to bring the aircraft from the Maldives and send it back once again for maintenance. Therefore, it is currently operating as a local flight in the Maldives,” the official further added.
The service will resume from Ahmedabad to Kevadia from December 27. “Spice Shuttle, the fully-owned subsidiary of SpiceJet, will resume its seaplane operations between Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati Riverfront and Kevadia’s Statue of Unity from December 27, with two daily flights on the route. Bookings of the seaplane service for the passengers will open from December 20,” reads a statement issued by the airline.
Earlier, the airline, in a statement had, however, said that the service will resume on December 15.
Soon after beginning operations, the seaplane service was suspended two days for maintenance which was done at Ahmedabad itself.
The weekly maintenance will be carried out on the day when the Statue of Unity is closed for visitors.
Airline officials confirmed that the wet dock at Sabarmati Riverfront will be ready in the next three weeks, followed by the dry dock. “When the operations begin from December 27 and the next cycle is due for maintenance, the facility will be ready in Ahmedabad,” said an official.
Full details are available at the link below:
Source URL: Google News
