Indian budget carrier SpiceJet is reportedly on track to double its current fleet over the next 12 months, the airline’s chairman and managing director Ajay Singh stated, according to local media reports.
The airline said it had added ten planes to its fleet since October 2024 -- three grounded aircraft that were brought back into service and seven inducted on lease.
In January SpiceJet began re-inducting its fleet of grounded aircraft, with plans to restore ten aircraft to its operational fleet by mid-April, including four 737 MAX planes.
Speaking to Airline Economics in October 2024, SpiceJet Singh stated that the airline placed an order for 200 MAX aircraft with Boeing in 2017.
Before two fatal crashes involving MAX aircraft in 2018 and 2019, SpiceJet had taken delivery of 13 of the aircraft type. Following these incidents, MAX production and deliveries were suspended, and SpiceJet's MAX fleet was grounded.
According to media reports, when asked on the sidelines of an event about the potential impact of China’s reported ban on Boeing aircraft deliveries amid its ongoing trade dispute with the US, Singh responded: “We will engage with the manufacturers and explore how best we can strengthen our own position. The situation remains unclear at this point.”
SpiceJet is currently facing a number of legal challenges in Indian courts, largely relating to unpaid dues. Most recently the airline is facing fresh insolvency proceedings from Indonesian carrier BBN Airlines, which is claiming that the Indian airline owes $5.94 million in unpaid lease rentals.
This came just weeks after NGF Alpha, NGF Genesis, NGF Charlie and a former pilot all filed petitions under Section 9 of the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code (IBC), seeking initiation of insolvency proceedings against SpiceJet claiming dues totalling $12.6 million.