With seaplane services, the state government aims to position Andhra Pradesh at the forefront of India's water-based aviation sector.
Credit: X/@GUMMALLALAKSHM3
Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N Chandrababu Naidu, on Saturday set in motion an innovation in the tourism sector, the 'Sea Plane' at the Punnami Ghat of the Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada.
Accompanied by the Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, the Chief Minister travelled by the Sea Plane from the Prakasam Barrage to Srisailam. Later both the Union Minister and the Chief Minister actively participated in the Sea Plane demonstration launch organised jointly by the Civil Aviation Ministry and the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation at the Patalganga in Srisailam.
The people, local leaders and other public representatives witnessed the event at Patalganga and extended a hearty welcome to both Chandrababu Naidu and Ram Mohan Naidu.
All of them traveled through the ropeway to Srisailam temple where they all had a darshan of Lord Bramaramba Mallikharjuna Swamy.
SpiceJet to launch Sea Plane services from 2025
Meanwhile, Indian carrier SpiceJet has announced plans to launch seaplane operations in 2025, connecting some of India’s most remote and picturesque locations. The announcement was made today by SpiceJet’s Chairman and Managing Director, Ajay Singh, on the occasion of a demonstration seaplane flight from Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada to Srisailam Dam.
SpiceJet has partnered in seaplane trials across multiple locations, providing crucial engineering, technical, and logistical support to De Havilland.
With rights to operate seaplane services on 20 routes, including Lakshadweep, Hyderabad, Guwahati, and Shillong, the airline is preparing to roll out connectivity across key routes as the infrastructure becomes ready.
“Seaplanes have the potential to transform India’s regional connectivity, opening up access to some of the most stunning, yet remote, parts of the country. SpiceJet has always dared to dream big and with the support of visionary leaders like Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Union Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, we are taking concrete steps to bring seaplane operations to life in India once again. We are excited to help drive this initiative forward, partnering closely with the government and civil aviation authorities to ensure these services become a reality and a success, ” saidSpiceJet, Chairman and Managing Director, Ajay Singh.
SpiceJet pioneered India’s first scheduled seaplane service in October 2020, linking the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad to the Statue of Unity in Kevadia, Gujarat. Although paused due to COVID-19, the airline is once again ready to spearhead this ambitious project, under the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme. As India’s only major private airline consistently engaged with UDAN since its inception, SpiceJet continues to connect the unconnected, linking communities across the nation with new and exciting travel opportunities.
This latest seaplane venture is set for an official launch in 2025. “Our journey in regional connectivity has been a purposeful one, rooted in the belief that everyone, no matter how remote, deserves access to affordable and efficient air travel, and today, we are excited to be at the forefront of seaplane operations in India. Seaplanes can be a true game-changer for a country like ours, where diverse geographies—coastlines, islands, and riverine regions—often present infrastructure challenges. With seaplanes, we can transcend these barriers and bring the joy and benefits of connectivity to coastal areas, islands, and remote inland destinations,” said Spice Shuttle, CEO Avani Singh.
Avani, who previously led SpiceHealth, is now spearheading SpiceJet’s seaplane project following her MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. She is also an alumna of Stanford University.