SpiceJet (SG, Delhi International) has secured two A320-200s on an ACMI basis over the IATA 2024 northern summer season, to operate for the budget carrier between March 31 and October 26.
ch-aviation schedules data shows one will operate an Ahmedabad-Goa Mopa-Ahmedabad-Ayodhya International-Ahmedabad-Dubai International-Ahmedabad rotation six days per week. The second A320 will operate Ahmedabad-Chennai-Hyderabad International-Varanasi-Hyderabad-Chennai-Ahmedabad four days a week, and Ahmedabad-Chennai-Hyderabad-Ayodhya-Hyderabad-Chennai-Ahmedabad three days a week.
ch-aviation has contacted SpiceJet for further details on the wet-lease arrangements. Earlier this month, ch-aviation reported that SpiceJet would wet-lease two A340s to operate its 2024 Hajj flights.
Aside from its wet-leased aircraft and twenty-two DHC-8-Q400s used for short-haul domestic sectors, SpiceJet is an all-Boeing operator with an in-house fleet of five B737-700s, eight B737-8s (plus three wet-leased in), fourteen B737-800s (plus five wet-leased in), three B737-900ERs, and three B737-700(BDSF)s, although the ch-aviation fleets module reveals that 29 aircraft are inactive across the fleet.
Separately, SpiceJet informed the Bombay Stock Exchange on March 26 that it had reached a settlement with Export Development Canada (EDC) that will see the LCC acquire full ownership of thirteen ADC-financed DHC-8-Q400s. The settlement, SpiceJet's biggest to date, resolves outstanding liabilities of almost USD91 million. The liabilities were connected to a 2011 loan that saw the airline acquire 15 of the turboprops.
"This agreement heralds immense long-term savings for SpiceJet, liberating the airline from the obligation of regular monthly rentals for these aircraft," said the airline's managing director, Ajay Singh. "With twelve of these Q400s currently grounded, their refurbishment and subsequent return to service will enable SpiceJet to promptly launch flights on numerous regional and UDAN routes."
