DATA SPOTLIGHT: SpiceJet

10 August, 2020

This year The Blue Swan Daily will feature some of the leading airlines, airports and country markets for air travel. Here, using the extensive profile insights available to CAPA - Centre for Aviation members to deliver a data snapshot, we look at SpiceJet, an Indian carrier which has recently secured rights to expand its international network to the UK and US.

The predominantly domestic-focused carrier is currently offering a very limited international operation in the Covid-19 impacted environment mainly supporting ethnic traffic flows into the United Arab Emirates (UAE) but also Saudi Arabia. But it has recently secured rights to serve both the United Kingdom and the United States of America after becoming a designated carrier on the air services agreements with the two countries.

SpiceJet has already sourced an Airbus A330-900neo from HiFly and is presently deploying the aircraft on long-haul repatriation charters serving markets in Europe and North America from early Aug-2020. As such it has become the "first Indian low cost carrier to operate a widebody aircraft," it says.

The airline's plans for the US market remain unconfirmed, but its UK activities are more advanced with slots already secured at London Heathrow to start serving the UK capital from 01-Sep-2020. The LCC says it will operate the services "under the bubble arrangement between India and UK and effective up to end of summer schedule" on 23-Oct-2020, but that is "also in advance discussion to secure slots for winter schedule for regular operations". London is one of the busiest long haul destinations from India and this represents "a huge milestone for SpiceJet," acknowledges its chairman and managing director Ajay Singh.

SpiceJet has also launched 'SpiceJet Extra Seats', a fare option permitting passengers to purchase one or two additional seats when booking a ticket via the LCC's official website, to ensure the adjacent seat or seats remain vacant. The fare option though is only available for its domestic services.

ABOUT
SpiceJet is an Indian low cost carrier based at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi. SpiceJet one of India's largest airlines, serving domestic destinations across India. The airline commenced international operations in Oct-2010 and now provide services to overseas destinations including cities in the Asia Pacific and Middle East.

GLOBAL RANKING (as at 10-Aug-2020)

NETWORK MAP (as at 10-Aug-2020)

DESTINATIONS (as at 10-Aug-2020)

ANNUAL PASSENGER TRAFFIC (2010 - 2020YTD)

CAPACITY SNAPSHOT (versus same week last year)

ANNUAL CAPACITY (2012-2020*)(NOTE:The values for this year are at least partly predictive up to 6 months and may be subject to change)

WEEKLY DOMESTIC CAPACITY (2017 - 2020*)(NOTE:The values for this year are at least partly predictive up to 6 months and may be subject to change)

WEEKLY INTERNATIONAL CAPACITY (2017 - 2020*)(NOTE:The values for this year are at least partly predictive up to 6 months and may be subject to change)