Indian budget carrier SpiceJet Ltd. is currently evaluating its fleet expansion plans with a view to possibly add more aircraft in the future but no decision has been reached yet, its chief commercial officer said Thursday.
“We are evaluating the future,” Samyukth Sridharan told Dow Jones Newswires on the sidelines of a conference on budget airlines. “We have not taken a decision. It is at a very preliminary stage.”
Mr. Sridharan said SpiceJet is on track to take delivery of five additional Boeing 737-800 planes by February 2011, with the first plane coming in March this year. The airline currently has 19 Boeing planes.
He said an additional four Boeing planes will be added at a later stage, taking the fleet size to 28.
Mr. Sridharan reiterated that SpiceJet, which will complete five years of domestic operations on May 23, has sought approval from India’s federal government to start flights to Nepal, Bangladesh, the Maldives and Sri Lanka.
Under government norms, an Indian carrier has to complete five years of domestic operations to qualify for operating overseas flights.
“We have applied for permission. Once it is done, we will pick and choose,” he said.
Mr. Sridharan said also that the airline is evaluating flights to Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
“All of them are in our radar and at the right time, when we believe we are ready, we will fly to these markets,” he said.
Source: Wall Street Journal
About SpiceJet Airlines
SpiceJet’s mission is to become India’s preferred low-cost airline, delivering the lowest air fares with the highest consumer value, to price sensitive consumers. We hope to fulfill everyone’s dream of flying!
With India’s economic and business growth, the percentage of traveling population is burgeoning. More and more Indians are traveling for both business and pleasure and everyone needs to save both time and money. SpiceJet Airline’s vision is to address that and ensure that flying is for everyone.
