Domestic carrier SpiceJet on Wednesday announced that it has finalised a damp-lease agreement for five Boeing 737 aircraft ahead of the upcoming winter schedule.
With this latest arrangement, the airline has added a total of 10 planes to its fleet within just a month. While most of the new aircraft are scheduled to be inducted in October, a few are expected to join service a couple of weeks earlier, the airline said.
Fleet Expansion to Meet Peak Winter Demand
The move comes as a relief for the budget carrier, which has been under operational stress since March 2019, when 13 of its Boeing 737 MAX aircraft were grounded following two fatal crashes globally that exposed a flight-control flaw in the model.
With over 100 MAX jets on order, the grounding forced SpiceJet to rely on older Boeing 737 NG aircraft—less fuel-efficient and costlier to operate.
According to the airline, the additional aircraft will cater to the peak winter travel season and remain in service through the early summer of 2026, with the leases running until May 2026. All the planes will be inducted under damp-lease arrangements, in which the operational crew is shared between the lessor and the airline.
SpiceJet also said it is in advanced talks to lease more aircraft ahead of the winter 2025 schedule. “With the induction of the additional fleet, we are ensuring that our passengers have more choices, greater connectivity, and a reliable, on-time travel experience,” said Debojo Maharshi, Chief Business Officer, SpiceJet.
Boosting Network Amid Growing Competition
As per aircraft-tracking portal Planespotters.net, the airline currently operates 13 Boeing 737s and six regional jets, while 34 of its total 53 aircraft remain grounded.
The latest capacity expansion is aimed at capitalising on robust domestic demand during the busy winter travel period, while also allowing the airline to strengthen its network in the face of growing competition from rivals such as IndiGo, Akasa Air and Air India Express.