SpiceJet ramps up winter operations with five new aircraft, revives grounded Boeing 737 MAX

The low-cost carrier has inducted five leased planes, taking total additions this season to ten, as it seeks to rebuild capacity and meet surging holiday demand.

In a bid to scale up operations for the winter travel rush, SpiceJethas added five new aircraft to its fleet, including a previously grounded Boeing 737 MAX, three Boeing 737s, and an Airbus A340, the airline said on November 6.

The latest round of inductions brings the total new additions this season to ten, part of what the carrier described as an accelerated effort to restore capacity and expand its domestic and international network.

All five aircraft have already entered service, operating on key routes where passenger traffic has spiked ahead of the festive and holiday season, according to the airline.

The new aircraft have been added on damp lease arrangements, where the lessor provides the aircraft and crew while the lessee handles maintenance and insurance. SpiceJet has increasingly relied on such short-term leases to bridge fleet shortfalls and sustain flight schedules amid ongoing restructuring.

By the end of November, the airline expects to more than double its operational fleet and triple its available seat kilometres (ASKM) — a measure of overall capacity, compared to earlier this year.

Debojo Maharshi, Chief Business Officer of SpiceJet, said the expansion was driven by strong market demand. “The response to our new flights has been extremely encouraging,” he said, adding that the airline plans to keep strengthening its operations “across both domestic and international markets."

On October 27, the low-cost carrier said it will operate 250 daily flights this winter -- double its summer schedule and sharply higher than 150 daily flights operated during last winter. The expanded schedule, effective from October 26, comes amid SpiceJet’s push to reclaim market share as it rebuilds operations and inducts 19 leased aircraft into service over the next few weeks. The airline aims to more than double its operational fleet and triple its available seat kilometres (ASKM) by November 2025, reflecting a strong rebound in capacity and demand.

As of 11:40 am IST on November 6, SpiceJet shares were trading at Rs 36.58, down 0.24 points or 0.65 percent from the previous close.