SpiceJet’s shrinking fleet puts international operations under scrutiny

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.SpiceJet Ltd’s operational fleet has shrunk from 33 aircraft at the end of December to about 21 in early May, bringing the airline close to the minimum threshold required to operate international flights under Indian aviation rules. Fleet count fell due to returns to lessors and grounding for maintenance.The slide in SpiceJet's fleet comes as the airline has also lost ground in the domestic market, slipping to fourth place with a 3.9% share in March.

Rival Akasa Air, with about 38 aircraft, has around 5% share, while IndiGo dominates with 63.3% and a fleet of over 440 aircraft. The Air India Group follows with about 26.5% market share and around 290 aircraft, according to data from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).With just 21 planes, SpiceJet risks falling below the regulatory threshold for international operations, which requires airlines to have at least 20 aircraft or deploy 20% of capacity on domestic routes, whichever is higher.The Gurugram-based airline, promoted by Ajay Singh, now operates 18 Boeing planes and three smaller turbo-props, according to two industry executives.

Most of the Boeing aircraft are wet or damp-leased, while 39 aircraft remain grounded.A wet lease involves leasing an aircraft with crew, maintenance, and insurance provided by the owner, usually for short-term capacity. In a damp lease, the lessor provides the aircraft, flight crew, and maintenance, but the lessee (airline) provides their own cabin crew."SpiceJet meets all applicable regulatory requirements for international operations.