Indian budget carrier Spicejet has announced it is expanding its aircraft fleet with the addition of ten new aircraft. The addition will enable the carrier to better cope with surging post-COVID-19 demand and the peak travel season in India.
The new aircraft will include five Boeing 737 MAX aircraft between September and October this year. The low-cost carrier confirmed the fleet expansion was to help cope with increased travel demand. Currently SpiceJet and its logistics operations, SpiceXpress Cargo, operate a fleet of some 71 Boeing and De Havilland aircraft. There are currently 25 grounded aircraft in the fleet which may be subsequent to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation having imposed restrictions in July 2022on SpiceJet flights following reports of continuous technical glitches. According to Reuters news agency, the low-cost carrier is currently trying to revive the grounded fleet, the latest being a partnership with FTAI Aviation for the lease of 20 engines. SpiceJet said the grounded planes will resume services soon.
“The induction of these planes, which coincides with the peak travel season in India, will help us launch new routes and strengthen our presence on existing ones,” SpiceJet said in a statement. A strong travel rebound post-COVID has helped airline operators to book profits, spurring rival IndiGo’s Interglobe Aviation to plan capacity additions and dial up orders to keep up with surging air travel demand.
SpiceJet is an Indian budget airline headquartered in Gurgaon, Haryana. It is the second largest airline in India by number of domestic passengers carried, and serves 64 Indian and international destinations. 1994, the company was acquired by Indian entrepreneur Ajay Singh in 2004 and renamed to SpiceJet. The airline operated its first flight in May 2005. Indian media baron Kalanidhi Maran acquired a controlling stake in SpiceJet in June 2010 through Sun Group which was sold back to Ajay Singh in January 2015.
