SpiceJet to lease 6 new planes, start 24 Mumbai-Delhi flights in wake of Jet Airways grounding
The airline plans to induct as many as 27 planes in a record time of fewer than two weeks in a bid to ease the pressure situation caused due to the grounding of Jet Airways
Budget carrier SpiceJet has announced its decision to dry lease six more Boeing 737 planes and roll out 24 daily new flights connecting Mumbai and Delhi in the aftermath of the temporary grounding of Jet Airways.
The move comes close on the heels of the airline announcing expanding the fleet by 21 more planes, including 16 B737s and five turboprop Bombardier Q400s, and the launch of new routes connecting the country’s financial hub with a host of international destinations.
Mumbai was one of the two main bases of Jet Airways, before it temporarily halted operations on Wednesday.
“SpiceJet will induct six more Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft on dry lease and it has applied to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation for a no-objection certificate (NOC) to import these planes,” the airline said.
Subject to regulatory approvals, the aircraft would begin joining SpiceJet’s fleet in the next 10 days, it added.
Last week, in two separate announcements, the Gurugram-based airline had said it would dry lease 16 Boeing 737s planes, and induct five regional jets in the fleet to fill the capacity deficit, due to the grounding of Jet Airways planes.
The total number of planes to be inducted in the immediate future now stands at 27, the airline said.
“We will induct as many as 27 planes in a record time of less than two weeks and are hopeful that these inductions will help considerably ease the pressure situation,” SpiceJet chairman and managing director Ajay Singh said.
The airline is taking all possible proactive measures to deal with the sudden reduction of aviation capacity in the Indian market, he said.
SpiceJet continues to work closely with the government and regulatory authorities to help minimise passenger inconvenience, he added.
