SpiceJet Boosts Fleet with Leased 737s and A340

Indian carrier SpiceJet is in the midst of a fleet expansion program that involves leasing ten B737s and an A340. According to reports, three B737s and the A340 have already been delivered.

A thorough analysis of ch-aviation fleets advanced data supports these claims, with A340-300 YR-LRD (msn 835) having ferried to India in June. The widebody is currently operated by Legend Airlines (Romania) and has been deployed on both domestic and international routes, including recent repatriation flights from Tel Aviv Ben Gurion.

The expansion comes as SpiceJet aims to meet increased demand during the festive season, including Diwali, the Cricket World Cup, school vacations, and office breaks. An anonymous source from SpiceJet mentioned, “To accommodate this surge in traffic, we have commenced the induction of ten leased aircraft B737s starting September 2023.”

In addition to the B737s, SpiceJet is also wet-leasing two B737-800s from Corendon Airlines (Antalya) and Corendon Airlines Europe (Malta International).

SpiceJet faced operational and financial challenges throughout the year, but in May, the airline’s chairman and managing director, Ajay Singh, announced plans to return 25 parked aircraft to service to address the capacity gap left by the Go First insolvency. The first aircraft to return to service were two B737s and two DHC-8-Q400s.

As of now, SpiceJet has 25 inactive aircraft, representing 42% of its 60-strong fleet. Despite the challenges, SpiceJet’s recent fleet expansion has contributed to its market share growth. The airline has regained ground, surpassing Akasa Air to become India’s fifth-largest carrier with a 4.4% market share.