Air India, SpiceJet to operate additional flights to Kathmandu

NEW DELHI: National carrier Air India will resume its services to Nepal from tomorrow and also decided to operate two additional flights from here and Kolkata to the quake-hit country with relief material and to fly out people stranded there.

The two flights which were to be operated today have been cancelled and would now take-off tomorrow, Air India said.

"The regular scheduled operations from Delhi and Kolkata will also resume tomorrow," Air India said in a statement here.

Besides, the airline would also operate two additional flights -- one each from New Delhi and Kolkata -- for Kathmandu tomorrow with relief material and also to fly out those who are stuck due to the devastating earthquake, it said.

The additional flight from New Delhi to Kathmandu (AI-1215) will depart at 1030 hours while the second flight (AI-1247) would take off from Kolkata at 0700 hours, the airline said.

The state-run carrier operates three services to Kathmandu -- two daily services from Delhi and one from Kolkata which is operated four times a week.

Air India would also carry relief material free of charge on priority basis, on its flights to Kathmandu, both from Delhi and Kolkata, it said.

The decision to resume operations was taken following the re-opening of the runway of the Tribhuvan International Airport which was closed for few hours today due to the earthquake, it said.

The national airline has also waived off cancellation and refund charges for the bookings for Kathmandu and vice versa for travel up to May 2, the release said, adding the waiver will be for all connecting passengers to and from Kathmandu through Delhi and Kolkata also.

Budget carrier SpiceJet, which had cancelled both of its flight from Delhi for Kathmandu also said it plans to resume operations from tomorrow.

"SpiceJet plans to operate its scheduled flight for Kathmandu tomorrow," the airline said in statement.

The airline said it was also looking into operating additional relief flights, if required.

Accredited NGOs and relief organizations looking to transport emergency supplies, doctors are requested to contact airline by e-mail and SpiceJet would accommodate as many requests as possible free of charge, it said.

A powerful 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal today, causing massive damage in Kathmandu and surrounding areas with strong tremors being felt in neighbouring countries.

Following this, domestic airlines had put on hold their services to the Nepal capital Kathmandu.