Indian low-cost carrier SpiceJet has received in-principle approval from India's government to operate international flights, and plans to do so from June.

It has applied to begin services to Colombo, Dhaka and Kathmandu, says the carrier's chief commercial officer Samyukth Sridharan.

"The applications are being processed, and we hope to start the new routes in our summer schedule," he adds.

SpiceJet is likely to operate between Chennai and Colombo, Kolkata and Dhaka, and New Delhi and Kathmandu, says Sridharan, adding that Colombo will likely be the airline's first international destination.

"Depending on where we locate our aircraft, we might route the flights through some cities," he adds.

SpiceJet operates a fleet of 20 Boeing 737 aircraft, and expects to receive five more by next April, says Sridharan.

The carrier will focus on the three cities in its first year of international operations, and evaluate new destinations after that, he adds.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news