SpiceJet becomes first Indian low-cost airline to join IATA

Mumbai/New Delhi: SpiceJet has joined global airlines’ grouping IATA as a member, becoming the first Indian low-cost carrier to get the membership.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) represents more than 290 airlines, including Air India, Jet Airways and Vistara.

The membership would help SpiceJet, which has ambitious expansion plans, to have codeshares and agreements with other carriers, the domestic airline said in a statement Tuesday.

SpiceJet has become the first Indian low-cost carrier to join the IATA as a member, it added.

“We are delighted to welcome SpiceJet as part of the 290 airlines in the IATA family. SpiceJet is the first Indian low-cost carrier to be an IATA member, and our fifth member in India,” IATA Regional Vice-President for Asia Pacific Conrad Clifford said.

According to the statement, the IATA membership is significant on account of SpiceJet’s plans for rapidly expanding its international footprint.

The membership allows the airline to “explore and grow its collaborations with international member airlines of IATA through interlining and code shares, enabling SpiceJet to seamlessly expand the network options for its passengers in future,” it added.

“The membership will further enable us to inculcate global best practices and innovations… IATA also provides us a platform to closely work and collaborate with other airline members and expand our network through code shares and agreements with partner airlines,” SpiceJet Chairman and Managing Director Ajay Singh said.

In December 2018, IATA Director-General and Chief Executive Officer Alexandre de Juniac told PTI that SpiceJet had requested to be a member of the grouping.

Recently, SpiceJet received IATA’s Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certificate.