INDIA’s biggest regional airline has approval for 18 seaplane routes.

One of these routes is to Kevadia, the site of the world’s tallest statue — a 182-meter tribute to the country’s first home minister, Vallabhbhai Patel.

During the pandemic, SpiceJet is focusing on new sources of revenue, including transporting cargo and regional flights using smaller planes.

Airlines have struggled during the coronavirus to remain profitable and many have gone bust, including the U.K.’s Flybe and Virgin Australia. Many others are on the brink of survival and have made severe job cuts.

Some airlines have been looking at alternative ways of generating revenue. These include flights to nowhere and airplane meal delivery.

SpiceJet chairman Ajay Singh said the seaplanes would help improve regional connectivity — an initiative being encouraged by the Indian Government — “without the high cost of building airports and runways,” thanks to the planes being able to takeoff and land both on small water bodies and short airstrips.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined the first flights from Ahmedabad to Kevadia on Saturday, the 145th anniversary of Vallabhbhai Patel’s birth.

The landmark built in his honor, referred to as the Statue of Unity, sits in the state of Gujarat and is double the height of the Statue of Liberty.

The 30-minute flights will operate through its subsidiary Spice Shuttle and start from 1,500 rupees (US$20) one-way. (SD-Agencies)