SpiceJet does not rule out acquiring widebody aircraft for long-haul operations in the future, as it looks to build back capacity while working through its financial challenges.
Airline chief Ajay Singh, speaking in Singapore at the Aviation Festival Asia 2025 event, says the low-cost operator “will need to eventually” look at widebody aircraft and begin long-haul operations, given the “tremendous demand” in India.
“We are discussing with major manufacturers, and we are discussing widebody orders with them as well…we need to be prepared for that, and we are certainly looking at that,” Singh states.
His comments come amid a flurry of widebody orders from Indian carriers. In 2023, national carrier Air India placed large orders with Boeing and Airbus for new aircraft, including 777s, 787s and A350s. A year later, low-cost giant IndiGo ordered 30 A350s, marking its foray into widebody operations.
Singh points out that SpiceJet, which predominantly operates 737s, “has had experience” in long-haul operations during the Covid-19 pandemic, where it wet-leased widebodies for repatriation and charter flights.
“Once we stabilise our operations, certainly, that’s the space we want to look at,” he states, without disclosing more.
SpiceJet hit an operational milestone in late-January, with the return to service of its first Boeing 737 Max 8 that had been grounded over unpaid dues to lessors. By April, it anticipates another three more Max 8s will return to service.
The 737 Max’s return to service is essential to the airline, which notes that the type allows it to operate to “high-demand markets” like Jeddah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia “without any operational restrictions”.
In 2024 SpiceJet went through several rounds of fundraising to settle its debts and return grounded aircraft to service.
