INDIA’S travel trade has responded warmly to SpiceJet’s upcoming launch of New Delhi-Guangzhou flights, pointing to strong demand for services between the two countries.
SpiceJet will commence New Delhi-Guangzhou flights on February 8, and the LCC is looking at serving more destinations in Greater China including Chengdu, Macau and Hong Kong. The five-hour New Delhi-Guangzhou service will be the longest flown by SpiceJet, which also plies routes to Riyadh and Dubai.
Ajay Vinayak, CEO, Palomino Hospitality, said: “There is room for several daily flights between key Indian cities and China. Demand is not only from growing tourist interest but a fast-growing business and MICE travel market between the two countries that requires serious attention.”
Anil Punjabi, chairman-east, Travel Agents Federation of India, added: “(China Eastern Airlines’) Kunming-Kolkata flight carries an almost-full load daily, with passengers transiting from Kunming to other Chinese cities.”
Said Neil Mills, CEO, SpiceJet, said: “The relationship between India and China is strengthening, but connectivity between the two countries is poor.”
Currently, Air China flies to New Delhi from Beijing four times weekly, while China Eastern operates weekly flights between Shanghai and New Delhi, and daily flights between Kunming and Kolkata.
