India's SpiceJet to Induct 10 Aircraft from September 2023

DALLAS — Low-cost carrier SpiceJet (SG)has announced that it will add ten Boeing 737 aircraft to its fleet between September and October to bolster capacity for the growing passenger traffic. SpiceJet has alright signed a lease agreement for the ten planes which will start joining its fleet in September. The carrier stated that the planes will include five Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.

Last March, SG lost two planes from its fleet. American aircraft leasing company Aircastle requested India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to initiate Irrevocable De-registration and Export Request Authorisation (IDERA) proceedings against the low-cost carrier. SpiceJets fleet consists of 91 aircraft and serves destinations across India, the Middle East, and Asia.

The Gurugram-based airline is actively restoring and reviving its grounded aircraft, which are expected to return to service soon. The most recent partnership is a lease of 20 engines with FTAI Aviation. In April, SpiceJet Chairman and Managing Director Ajay Singh stated that the airline will revive its grounded fleet of 25 aircraft within the next two to three months.

Ajay Singh said, "There has been a significant surge in passenger demand, and we are hopeful that this trend of increased demand will continue in the latter part of the year as well. Accordingly, SpiceJet has been planning capacity addition to cater to the growing needs of the Indian aviation market. We will be inducting ten B737 aircraft between September-October 2023. 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."

As the Indian aviation market has been growing, SG has been working on capacity expansion during the fall season. This is perfect timing as it is peak travel season in India, allowing the carrier to add new routes and add capacity to existing ones.

Featured image: SpiceJet VT-MXA Boeing 737-8 MAX. Photo: Alberto Cucini/Airways

https://airwaysmag.com/aircastle-repossesses-spicejet-737/