Air India, SpiceJet to operate free relief flights to Nepal

New Delhi: Following the earthquake in Nepal, state-run Air India and budget carriers SpiceJet and IndiGo have decided to operate additional flights and carry relief material to the quake-hit country free of cost.

"The regular scheduled operations from Delhi and Kolkata will resume on Sunday," Air India said in a statement.

The airline would also operate two additional flights - one each from New Delhi and Kolkata - to Kathmandu with relief material and also to fly out people stranded due to the earthquake, it added.

"Two of our flights have operated out of KTM (Kathmandu) so far today. AI 1248 arrived CCU (Kolkata) at 1120 hrs," Air India said in a tweet on Sunday.

"Great to see the teams at @flyspicejet @airindiain @IndiGo6E and @jetairways responding with relief flights for #nepalearthquake #flyinghelp," it tweeted earlier.

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

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

SpiceJet, which had cancelled both of its flights from Delhi for Kathmandu said it had resumed both flights and was also looking into operating additional relief flights.

"Accredited NGOs and relief organisations 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," Spicejet CEO Sanjiv Kapoor tweeted.