SpiceJet to Operate Flights to Heathrow Airport from Next Month

Indian budget carrier SpiceJet announced on Tuesday that it has secured landing slots at London's Heathrow Airport and can now operate flights from India to London from September 1.

These flights will be operated under the bubble arrangement between India and UK and will continue till October 23. It also said that these operations could be extended depending upon the resumption of regular operations.

The airline is in discussion to secure slots for the winter arrangement and regular operations as well.

Operation under a bubble means that only a specific category of passengers, NRIs and those carrying a long-term UK visa, will be able to board these flights. Earlier, the airlines were only allowed to operate between India and US under the bi-lateral bubble arrangement.

SpiceJet is the first Indian budget carrier to operate internationally to first US and now UK. Union Civil Aviation Minister Harshdeep Singh Puri had earlier said that India will connect with some countries under the Vande Bharat Mission Phase 5, like the US, Canada, Qatar, Oman, UAE, Singapore, UK, Frankfurt, Paris, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, New Zealand, Philippines and others.

Phase 5 of the Vande Bharat Mission, started in order to&nbspbring back Indians stranded in countries abroad, is from August 1 till August 31.

Latest updates say that SpiceJet is planning to wet-lease a Boeing 787 or an Airbus A-330 for the operation of these flights. They are also planning to operate from multiple cities in India on a daily frequency.