September 8, 2025

Get ready to watch SpiceJet soar again! The budget airline is planning to unground about 10 planes by April 2026. This boost includes 4-5 aircraft ready to fly in early winter to grab the busy season’s demand. The planes include Boeing 737 NG, Boeing 737 MAX, and Q400 aircraft. Until now, these grounded planes were adding to SpiceJet’s bill with rent and maintenance costs. SpiceJet is not wasting time. According to a regulatory report, the airline has booked maintenance and overhaul slots worldwide. It has sent 19 engines to different global engine shops to fix and restore. These engines belong to the Boeing 737 NG (7 engines), Boeing 737 MAX (6 engines), and Q400 (6 engines) models. In the last two months, SpiceJet sealed a deal to lease ten Boeing 737 planes. These aircraft will join the fleet under 'damp lease' by October 2025, gearing the airline up for the upcoming winter rush. "SpiceJet is fully geared to meet the surge in travel demand for the upcoming winter and early summer seasons," said Debojo Maharshi, the airline’s Chief Business Officer. In July alone, SpiceJet sent 17 engines for overhaul. It has already received the first two overhauled engines: one CFM LEAP‐1B engine for the Boeing 737 MAX from StandardAero’s Houston facility, and one Q400 engine from their Singapore team. This steady arrival of fixed engines means more planes will soon be ready to take off. As of June 30, 2025, SpiceJet has a total of 56 aircraft, but only 21 are currently flying. This number dropped from 61 planes in March 2025, with only 25 in operation. The airline reported a heavy loss of Rs 238 crore in Q1 FY26. Chairman and MD Ajay Singh blamed "extraordinary challenges" including geopolitical issues with a neighboring country, restricted air routes, and supply chain problems that hit leisure travel hard. Last year was a rollercoaster ride. The airline made a Rs 48 crore profit in FY25 but had lost Rs 404 crore in FY24. Engine overhaul delays and supply chain disruptions slowed down getting grounded planes back in the sky. To fight back, SpiceJet raised a whopping Rs 3,000 crore in September 2024 through Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP), which was hugely oversubscribed by investors. By March 2025, Rs 300 crore of this fund was still unspent, ready to fuel growth. The fresh money will help unground planes, buy new aircraft, improve technology, and explore new markets. The airline also renegotiated lease terms with Carlyle Aviation Management Limited, handling $121.18 million in lease debts. SpiceJet’s net worth stood at Rs 683 crore after a Rs 500 crore equity infusion from promoters last year. With fresh funds, overhauled engines, and new leases, SpiceJet is charging to capture the skies again. Will this be the comeback story the aviation world waits for? Watch this space as the budget flyer readies to take off in style!

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Tags: Spicejet, Aircraft ungrounding, Fleet expansion, Engine overhaul, Aviation finance, Qip funding,