SpiceJet launched India’s first seaplane service on 31st October,2020 between Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati Riverfront and Statue of Unity.
SpiceJet suspended India’s first seaplane service three days after its launch citing “maintenance” of the aircraft.
“The aircraft will undergo routine maintenance for two days. There will be no seaplane operations on November 4 and November 5,” an official of SpiceJet told the Indian Express.
SpiceJet has wet-leased an 18-seater Twin Otter 300 seaplane from Trans Maldivian airways.”It has been flying continuously for the past one week and hence some maintenance was needed,” the official added.
The seaplane is docked at the jetty at the water aerodrome in Sabarmati Riverfront, where the maintenance work will be undertaken, as per the report.
SpiceJet said that the Twin Otter 300 is a small turboprop aircraft and needs more maintenance than bigger jets. “The seaplane chosen by SpiceJet is one of the safest and most widely used aircraft the world over and in the Maldives. The aircraft has been serviced at regular intervals and is in top-class condition,” SpiceJet stated.
Earlier, IH aviation and Travel reported that the airline had received over 3000 bookings for the seaplane service.