SpiceJet operates first ever flight to Canada

SpiceJet flew its first flight to Canada this week, carrying 352 passengers from New Delhi to Toronto. This marks the low-cost carrier’s second long-haul flight, after its recent Amsterdam flight.

SpiceJet is pushing to break into the long-haul market, using wet leased A330neos, and now has permission to fly to the US and UK.

SpiceJet’s flight to Canada is its first outbound repatriation flight, carrying Canadian citizens and residents to Toronto. The previous flight, from Amsterdam to Bangalore, and onward to Hyderabad, on August 1, was the carrier’s first long haul flight. 

The flights are a part of India’s Vande Bharat Mission, which is a repatriation operation for Indians and those stranded in India. India also recently opened travel bubbles with several countries, allowing foreign carriers to operate. However, a travel bubble with Canada is yet to happen.

SpiceJet has quickly moved on from being an Indian domestic carrier to one with permissions to fly internationally. The airline has recently secured slots in London’s Heathrow despite not having its own fleet of widebodies for operation.