SpiceJet to lease 20 aircraft to expand active fleet

SpiceJet, the financially distressed Indian low-cost carrier, has finalized agreements to lease 20 aircraft to nearly triple its active fleet. The expansion aims to restore capacity ahead of the winter travel season and the Durga Puja festival.

The deal includes 15 Boeing and five Airbus aircraft, with some deliveries expected to be higher-capacity Airbus A321s. These will be acquired through wet and damp lease arrangements, which allow the airline to add capacity quickly without the immediate need for extensive pilot recruitment or permanent fleet ownership.

Deliveries are scheduled to occur in phases between mid-October and mid-November. This move follows a period of significant fleet reduction, where the airline's active fleet had shrunk to as few as 11 aircraft following the deregistration of several Boeing 737 MAX jets. The additional aircraft are intended to support a schedule of approximately 200 daily flights.