TBM Staff - Mumbai According to a report in The Financial Express, budget airline SpiceJet will induct 10 Boeing 737 aircraft into its fleet from September. It has entered into a lease agreement for 10 planes, which includes five 737 Max aircraft.
SpiceJet said the move will enhance capacity for the peak winter season. “There has been a significant surge in passenger demand and we are hopeful that this trend of increased demand will continue in the latter part of the year as well,” said Ajay Singh, chairman and managing director, SpiceJet.
“Accordingly, SpiceJet has been planning capacity addition to cater to the growing needs of the Indian aviation market. The induction of these planes, which coincides with the peak travel season in India, will help us launch new routes and strengthen our presence on existing ones.”
The airline will lease up to 20 engines to reactivate its grounded fleet over the next two-three months. The airline has partnered with aftermarket provider of engine services FTAI Aviation on a CFM56 revitalisation programme. The CFM56 is a engine type that powers SpiceJet’s Boeing 737 aircraft.
Last month, the budget airline said it plans to bring four grounded aircraft, two Boeing 737s and Q400s each, back into service by June 15, with more such planes expected to become operational in the following weeks. As of now, the airline has some 25 grounded aircraft.
