India’s SpiceJet defers London flights due to lockdown

SpiceJet (SG, Delhi Int’l) has indefinitely postponed its European debut due to a renewed lockdown in the United Kingdom spurred on by a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases. The Indian carrier intended to launch flights from each of Delhi Int’l and Mumbai Int’l to London Heathrow on December 4. They were to have been operated 2x weekly from Delhi and weekly from Mumbai under a wet-lease agreement with Hi Fly (5K, Beja) using an A330-900. No revised launch date has yet been revealed. The United Kingdom will become SpiceJet’s first intercontinental destination once launched. For the week starting December 21, the low-cost carrier deploys the bulk of its capacity – 91.2% of all scheduled seats – on flights within India. According to the ch-aviation capacities module, its limited international network currently covers just six destinations: Dubai Int’l, Riyadh, Jeddah, Dhaka, Ras al Khaimah Int’l, and Chittagong. Before the COVID-related travel restrictions came into force, SpiceJet also operated to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, Hong Kong Int’l, Colombo Int’l, and other destinations in the Gulf.