Airliners-India.com

747-237 · Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2015 2:57 pm Post subject:

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/stocks/news/spicejet-drops-nearly-7-as-lessors-want-15-boeing-airplanes-back/articleshow/45962190.cms

SpiceJet drops nearly 7% as lessors want 15 Boeing airplanes back

January 21, 2015

SpiceJet slipped as much as 6.9 percent in trade on Wednesday, after aircraft lessors want 15 of the airline's 20 Boeing planes to be returned, possibly stalling the government's plan to relax SpiceJet's advance booking limits beyond March 28.

The lessors have asked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to deregister the aircraft that they want to repossess. However, sources close to the new promoters say they are in talks with the lessors and a solution will be found soon, ET reported.

BOC Aviation, which has leased three aircraft to Spice-Jet, met DGCA Director General M Sathiyavathy on Friday and requested her to deregister their aircraft.

"The lessors fear a Kingfisher kind of situation and they might not be able to take their aircraft back," ET reported a government source aware of the development.

SpiceJet has returned 20 aircraft in the past few months because it couldn't make lease payments, halving its Boeing fleet size.
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747-237 · Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2015 10:36 am Post subject:

Lessors want 11 planes returned but Ajay Singh wants to expand Spicejet fleet to 26

http://www.firstpost.com/business/lessors-want-11-planes-returned-but-ajay-singh-wants-to-expand-spicejet-fleet-to-26-2057897.html
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747-237 · Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2015 9:41 pm Post subject:

DGCA allows airline to accept bookings till October

Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has allowed the airline to accept advance bookings beyond 31 March.

"SpiceJet is pleased to announce that bookings for its flights are now open for its summer schedule," SpiceJet said in a statement.

http://www.firstpost.com/business/relief-for-spicejet-dgca-allows-airline-to-accept-bookings-till-october-2059229.html
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747-237 · Posted: Fri Jan 23, 2015 9:45 am Post subject:

http://www.indiainfoline.com/article/news-top-story/spicejet-plans-to-induct-seven-more-boeing-aircraft-by-march-end-115012300023_1.html

SpiceJet plans to induct seven more Boeing aircraft by March end

January 23, 2015

SpiceJet is planning to induct seven more Boeing aircraft by the end of March this year, according to reports. Report said that this will take its fleet strength to 26 Boeings and 15 Bombardier Q400s for the summer schedule.
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747-237 · Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 9:54 am Post subject:

SpiceJet has withdrawn another 737-800, VT-SGK, from the fleet today.
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747-237 · Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 2:11 pm Post subject:

http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/singapore-s-tigerair-terminates-interline-with-spicejet-on-non-perforrmance-115012900445_1.html

Singapore's Tigerair terminates interline agreement with SpiceJet

January 29, 2015

Singapore based low-cost carrier Tigerair has ended its interline agreement with troubled domestic carrier SpiceJet this month for non-performance, its director for sales and marketing, Teh Yikchuan, told Business Standard.

The agreement, under which SpiceJet was selling Tigerair tickets for onward destinations from Singapore, was ended because the latter was able to meet less than 30% of its revenue targets and was also not able to match flight schedules effectively.
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747-237 · Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 3:08 pm Post subject:

http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/spicejet-to-launch-2-flights-on-delhi-varanasi-route-736504

SpiceJet to Launch 2 Flights on Delhi-Varanasi Route

February 03, 2015

SpiceJet today said it will launch two daily return flights from New Delhi for Varanasi from March 1.

The airline has also already opened the bookings for the new flights and has offered special discounted fares starting at Rs. 2,437 all inclusive for a limited period.

SpiceJet's new schedule will allow day-returns from both Delhi and Varanasi, with morning and evening flights from both cities, it said in a release.

"We are very happy to announce the new schedule for the New Delhi-Varanasi route with better timings and enhanced same day return option. Train is the currently the preferred choice of people traveling on this route, but I am sure that customers would now opt for air travel with our latest offering," SpiceJet Chief Commercial Officer Kaneswaran Avili said.
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sri_bom · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 2365 Location: Singapore

SpiceJet dues with Airports Authority of India higher than that of Kingfisher Airlines: report
News
3-Feb-2015 11:29 AM
SpiceJet dues with Airports Authority of India (AAI) is reportedly higher than that of Kingfisher Airlines (financialexpress.com, 01-Feb-2015). As previously reported by CAPA, AAI has requested SpiceJet to submit a financial plan detailing a schedule to clear outstanding dues by 15-Feb-2015. SpiceJet has dues of over INR3 billion (USD48.3 million) (including interest) with the authority, which is over three times the guarantee provided to the AAI.

747-237 · Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2015 8:10 am Post subject:

http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/spicejet-undertakes-strategic-review-may-switch-to-single-aircraft-fleet-115020300343_1.html

SpiceJet undertakes strategic review, may switch to single aircraft fleet

February 4, 2015

SpiceJet is conducting a strategic review of fleet and network, which could see staff reductions and a possible phase out of Bombardier Q400 planes in three months.

“We are conducting a review of all aspects of operations,” the airline’s Chief Operating Officer, Sanjiv Kapoor, said on Tuesday. “We will be taking a call whether to keep or sell Q400 planes. It is under evaluation now. Having a single fleet will help in simplifying operations,” he said.

The airline had curtailed its fleet to 33 planes (18 Boeing 737s and 15 Bombardier Q400s). The airline plans to add 8-9 Boeing 737s and grow its network with new services.

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747-237 · Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2015 10:05 am Post subject:

http://www.financialexpress.com/article/industry/companies/high-court-reserves-order-on-plea-to-ground-5-leased-spicejet-planes/40879/

High Court reserves order on plea to ground 5 leased Spicejet planes

February 9, 2015

Delhi High Court today reserved its order on an Irish firm’s plea to ground five aircraft leased by it to Spicejet till their registration was cancelled by aviation regulator DGCA.

A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw heard arguments of Spicejet, Ireland-based B&B Air Acquisition and the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) and reserved its verdict on the aircraft leasing company’s plea.

B&B has sought directions to DGCA to cancel Certificate of Registration (CoR) of five Boeing 737 aircraft, leased by it to the no-frill airline, and grounding them.

Senior advocate Ramji Srinivasan, appearing for B&B, said that its lease agreement with the airline was terminated in December last year over alleged non-payment of dues, including rent of the aircraft.

After termination of lease, the company wrote to DGCA to cancel registration of the aircraft, but the regulator did not do so on the ground that the CoR has not been returned by Spicejet.

DGCA on January 9 wrote to Spicejet asking it to return the CoR as well as deactivate the transponder ‘mode S’ codes of the five aircraft, but till date the airline has not returned the certificate nor deactivated the transponder codes as it was still operating the planes, the Irish company said.

Transponder codes are used by aircraft to communicate with the air traffic controllers (ATCs), for the latter to identify the plane. No aircraft can be operated without it.

The company also said that a single-judge of the High Court had in December last year directed DGCA to expeditiously decide the application for de-registration of the aircraft, but till date no action has been taken apart from sending the January 9 letter.

Under the 2001 Cape Town Convention on international transactions involving movable property, to which India was a signatory, DGCA was duty bound to have taken action within five days of sending its January 9 letter, B&B claimed.

DGCA in its defence said the application was in process and the entire procedure would take more time than five days as it has to also inspect air worthiness of the aircraft before allowing them to leave the country.

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iah87 · Member Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 2566

After the experience with Kingfisher leasing companies are recalling the aircraft earlier in the process even though there is a fair chance that Spicejet may survive, unlike Kingfisher.

India does not have a bankruptcy procedure like US does, which essentially freezes all creditors and contracts and allows them to cancel employee contracts. That is probably the main reason why the US airlines are profitable now, other wise they would still be struggling.

747-237 · Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2015 8:43 pm Post subject:

http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/spicejet-to-launch-flights-to-hubli-from-next-month-115021001034_1.html

Spicejet to launch flights to Hubli from next month

February 10, 2015

No-frills airline SpiceJet today said it will resume from next month its flight services to Hubli in Karnataka, which it had suspended in the end of second quarter of the current fiscal due to the runway maintenance work.

The airline will re-launch daily flight services to Hubli from Mumbai and Bengaluru from March 1 and has opened the booking for these flights as well, SpieceJet said in a release.

The airline has also offered special promotional fares, starting Rs 2,673 on both Hubli-Bengaluru and Hubli-Mumbai sectors, it said, adding these services will be operated with 78-seater Bombardier Q-400 aircraft.

The airline is now reintroducing its services from the Hubli after the runway has been declared completely functional, it said.

SpiceJet recently announced a new schedule with improved metro-to-metro and non-metro connectivity.

The network and schedule will be further enhanced in the summer schedule starting March 29, it said.
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iah87 · Member Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 2566

If Spice jet is planning to jettison Q400s then why are they re-introducing flights to Hubli. This on off flight schedule is what is hurting them.

sumantra · Member Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 4685 Location: New Delhi

The_Goat · Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 12:04 am Post subject:

747-237 · Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 9:04 am Post subject:

http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/spicejets-revival-may-run-into-trouble-as-lessor-bbam-seeks-100-million-115021101195_1.html

SpiceJet's revival may run into trouble as lessor BBAM seeks $100 mn

February 12, 2015

Irish aircraft lessor Babcock and Brown Aircraft Management has sought the return of six Boeing B737 aircraft and a payment of $100 million (Rs 600 crore) from troubled budget airline SpiceJet to cover several months of unpaid rent and maintenance costs.

Sources said despite SpiceJet trying to negotiate afresh, Babcock and Brown had informed the airline it was not willing to do any further business. Babcock and Brown had ended lease agreements in December, when SpiceJet was trying to reduce its fleet. But the airline is operating five of the aircraft and another is in maintenance.

“Babcock and Brown has been trying to repossess the aircraft. It has said it will not renegotiate and has remarketed some of the B737s to other airlines such as Turkey’s Pegasus Airlines,” said a source.

Babcock and Brown, one of SpiceJet’s biggest lessors, had leased 18 B737s to the airline a year ago. It also leases aircraft to other Indian carriers like Jet Airways. Babcock and Brown had filed a plea to the Delhi high court, asking it to direct the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to cancel the registration of five B737 aircraft. The judgment was reserved on Monday and is expected soon.

A SpiceJet spokesperson said in response to queries, "Without commenting on specifics, commercial issues are privileged between us and our partners. In general, with the change of ownership and imminent recapitalisation, we expect all matters related to payables to be resolved soon in cooperation with our partners and suppliers. We are also in the process of growing our Boeing fleet to 26 aircraft by the start of the 2015 summer schedule."

SpiceJet has a fleet of 17 leased Boeing 737s and 15 Bombardier Q400s it owns, but it is fighting court battles with lessors seeking repossession of up to 12 of the former type of aircraft. Besides Babcock and Brown, other lessors that have taken legal recourse are China’s BOC Aviation and Ireland’s AWAS, each of which has leased three aircraft. SpiceJet’s lessors also include the China-based ICBC, Japan’s MCAP and the US-based Air Lease Corporation.

SpiceJet could find itself in a tough spot if forced to return aircraft. It could be forced to cut jobs further. It has already reduced headcount by more than 1,000 to 4,000, and a drastic reduction of its fleet would make a turnaround difficult, analysts said.

The development comes as bad news for new investors, led by founder-promoter Ajay Singh, who in a revival plan presented in January, promised to pump Rs 1,500 crore into SpiceJet by April. Singh has approval from the Union civil aviation ministry and the SpiceJet board to transfer current promoter Kalanithi Maran’s 58 per cent stake to himself. The investors put in Rs 100 crore on January 25 and Rs 400 crore is expected on February 15.

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747-237 · Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 7:43 pm Post subject:

Indian airline SpiceJet’s Q3 loss widens to $44.2 mn in battle to stay afloat

http://www.financialexpress.com/article/industry/companies/indian-airline-spicejets-q3-loss-widens-to-44-2-mn-in-battle-to-stay-afloat/42181/
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Nimish · Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 12:08 pm Post subject:

^^ Wow - sounds like a horrible quarter, despite it being peak travel season! I wonder if the new investors have any plans to infuse funds and revive the confidence in SG?
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HAWK21M · Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 4:44 pm Post subject:

With the maran stake out.....there is hope of revival....time will tell.
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747-237 · Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 7:14 pm Post subject:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/SpiceJets-contract-still-stands-Boeing/articleshow/46234639.cms

SpiceJet's contract still stands: Boeing

Feb 13, 2015

Boeing today said there is no change in status in crisis-ridden SpiceJet's contract with it to acquire 42 Boeing 737 Max worth USD 4.4 billion but hoped that "short-term turbulence" in the market ends soon.

Underlining that it wants to see its customers healthy, Boeing India President Pratyush Kumar said, "We want to be responsive to our customer's requirements. All I am saying is that there is no change in status".

He said that Boeing tries everything to contribute to the customer's success and the best way is by delivering fuel efficient and reliable aircraft.

He said Boeing was not worried about the turbulence in the Indian aviation sector and pointed out that projections are very positive.

"We are hoping that the short-term turbulence settles down," he said addressing a press conference.
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747-237 · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 8:31 am Post subject:

http://www.livemint.com/Companies/N3NIMeJxtrO6jMlznbjEZK/Boeing-throws-a-lifeline-to-SpiceJet.html

Boeing throws a lifeline to SpiceJet

Feb 17 2015

Boeing Co. has thrown a lifeline to SpiceJet Ltd by offering over Rs.100 crore to help the budget airline tide over a cash shortfall as it awaits the completion of a bailout by new investors.

Seattle-based Boeing has released the money from the amount SpiceJet paid last year to book 42 Boeing 737 Max next-generation planes, a person familiar with the development said on condition of anonymity. The person said Boeing had released over Rs.100 crore, without specifying the exact amount.

“We did assist SpiceJet. It is an important customer and aviation in India with fuel prices low will only get better,” said Dinesh Keskar, senior vice-president, Asia-Pacific and India sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

Keskar did not specify the amount. “This is an arrangement between us and SpiceJet,” he said. The amount, the person cited above said, will be repaid to Boeing when the airline is recapitalized. A SpiceJet spokesperson declined to comment.

The Max planes are valued at $4.4 billion at list price, although manufacturers typically offer a discount on bulk orders. The booking amount hasn’t been disclosed. Airlines typically place orders for such planes in bulk but don’t retain all of them; instead, they sell some to lessors when the aircraft are delivered.

The token booking amount is adjusted in the sale and leaseback process. This way, airlines are able to book a small profit if plane prices go up by the time the aircraft are delivered.
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Nimish · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 12:35 pm Post subject:

^^ Strange! Of course Boeing has little to lose given the 737Max is selling like hotcakes, they'll probably benefit if SG were to forfeit the order as they can sell the slots at higher prices...
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Caliguy · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 8:40 pm Post subject:

sri_bom · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 2365 Location: Singapore

DVB Bank: 'SpiceJet situation isn't comparable to the Kingfisher saga, it's much worse'
News
18-Feb-2015 9:43 AM
India's Government will reportedly support SpiceJet as it seeks to retain its aircraft as lessors seek to repossess their aircraft (Bloomberg, 17-Feb-2015). DVB Bank MD Bertrand Grabowski commented: "The SpiceJet situation isn't comparable to the Kingfisher saga, it's much worse... The leasing and finance community has been working very hard with the Indian Authorities post-Kingfisher to find common ground in a safe application of Cape Town. This is not working and Indian authorities seem to have little idea of the damage caused to their industry." The financial community has been working with the Aviation Working Group to find a fair way to handle situations where Indian lessors default on payments, Mr Grabowski said.

747-237 · Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2015 6:28 am Post subject:

http://www.financialexpress.com/article/companies/services-to-six-cities-get-the-axe-in-spicejets-summer-schedule/44620/

Services to six cities get the axe in SpiceJet’s summer schedule

February 19, 2015

Troubled low-cost airline SpiceJet is suspending services to six cities — Aurangabad, Belgaum, Indore, Lucknow, Surat and Thiruvanthapuram — as part of its summer schedule announced on Wednesday. Services to these cities may resume later when the airline adds more aircraft to its fleet.

As part of the new schedule, and to maximise network efficiency with the planned summer fleet, SpiceJet is suspending services to these cities, the airline said. However, the new summer schedule, effective March 29, 2015, has introduced new flights with additional frequency.

SpiceJet will be introducing two new daily flights to Dubai, from Amritsar and Mangalore. These flights are in addition to the five existing flights already to Dubai from Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kochi and Madurai, taking SpiceJet’s service to Dubai to seven flights daily.

Dubai is SpiceJet’s number one international destination in terms of capacity, out of the eight international cities currently served by it, namely Bangkok, Colombo, Kabul, Kathmandu, Male (Maldives), Muscat, and Sharjah. On the domestic front, SpiceJet is adding a new flight between Chennai and Vijayawada.

The airline is also adding frequencies to a number of domestic routes. The frequency of flights has been increased between Delhi and Amritsar (now twice daily), Bangalore and Mangalore (now three times daily), Mumbai and Jabalpur (twice daily), Delhi and Jabalpur (two times daily), Delhi and Dehradun (three times daily), Delhi and Dharamshala (twice daily), Delhi and Jaipur (three times daily), Delhi and Srinagar (three times daily), Delhi and Udaipur (twice daily), Hyderabad and Tirupati (three times daily) and Jammu and Srinagar (twice daily).

Sanjiv Kapoor, chief operating officer, SpiceJet, said: “The new flights to Dubai are a reflection of our success in that market, and will utilise all of our available traffic rights to the city. With these flights, we will have one of the most extensive networks from India to Dubai, especially from non-metro cities.”

The new frequencies on domestic sectors reflect the airline’s confidence that future growth and value lie in providing more connectivity to non-metros and tier-2 cities, which is where much of the economic growth of the country is increasingly coming from, he added.

All of these flights will offer SpiceMAX, the leading ‘extra legroom’ economy class seats in India today, available on all SpiceJet aircraft.

On the Boeing 737, SpiceJet has five rows of seats with 6-inch greater legroom than regular economy class seats for a modest premium.

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747-237 · Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2015 6:29 am Post subject:

http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/spicejet-might-sell-bombardiers-115021900032_1.html

SpiceJet might sell Bombardiers

February 19, 2015

Ailing budget airline SpiceJet's new owners are considering a proposal to ground its Bombardiers and return to flying only Boeings.

"A proposal on whether to continue with the Bombardiers is on the table. A decision will be taken soon," a SpiceJet executive said.

SpiceJet has 15 Q4 Bombardier jets used to connect large cities to smaller towns. But many new destinations were unviable because of the costs of operating these aircraft.

SpiceJet owns the Bombardiers and will have to find buyers for the planes.

SpiceJet plans to increase its fleet from 19 Boeings to 26 by summer and 33 by the end of the year. "We work with different lessors. Most are helping us through these times. They are willing to lease more planes," the executive added.
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Nimish · Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2015 10:51 am Post subject:

HAWK21M · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2015 12:28 pm Post subject:

I wonder what their logic of purchasing the Q400s were as opposed to Industry logic in the 1st place Smile

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sri_bom · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 2365 Location: Singapore

SpiceJet in talks with Bombardier to sell 15 Q400s to raise around USD96.5m: report
News
23-Feb-2015 12:28 PM
SpiceJet is reportedly in talks with Bombardier to sell 15 Q400s to raise around USD96.5 million, via sale/leaseback (aviator.aero, 21-Feb-2015). As previously reported by CAPA, SpiceJet is considering a proposal to sell its Bombardier aircraft and return to an all-Boeing fleet. A proposal on whether to continue with the Bombardiers is reportedly being considered and a decision will reportedly be taken soon. SpiceJet has 15 Bombardier aircraft in its fleet, used to connect large cities to smaller towns. SpiceJet plans to increase its fleet from 19 Boeing aircraft to 26 by summer 2015 and 33 by the end of 2015.

sri_bom · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 2365 Location: Singapore

DGCA has to play a role of impartial regulator: Delhi High Court
News
23-Feb-2015 12:06 PM
Delhi High Court criticised India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for not filing its response on Irish lessor Wilmington Trust SP Services Ltd's plea seeking de-registration of an aircraft on lease to SpiceJet for alleged non-payment of dues (PTI, 20-Feb-2015). A bench of Justice Rajiv Shakdher said: "DGCA has to play a role of impartial regulator. The regulator despite being told to file their response chose not to file it. Why DGCA is doing so, god only knows". Wilmington Trust SP Services had sought cancellation of the registration of one aircraft leased by it to SpiceJet on grounds of alleged non-payment of dues. The hearing in the case remained inconclusive and would resume on 26-Feb-2015 when Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain would advance his arguments.

sri_bom · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 2365 Location: Singapore

SpiceJet clears major outstanding dues related to Income Tax payments
News
25-Feb-2015 9:55 AM
SpiceJet announced (24-Feb-2015) that it has cleared its major outstanding dues related to Income Tax (TDS) payments. It had earlier this month also cleared all Service Tax dues and employee salaries. The airline believes that the clearance of these dues is a key step in the airline’s revival and resurgence plan. SpiceJet acting CFO Kiran Koteshwar said: “Paying our statutory dues that we had fallen behind on as a result of a very difficult couple of years, was an extremely high priority for us”, adding: “This is the first major step in our settling our payables to various creditors, which we will do as per mutual discussions and payment plans that are being put together”. Clearance of major tax outstandings comes a day after the airline shares officially changed hands, resulting in co-founder Ajay Singh formally assuming the role of majority shareholder and promoter. SpiceJet stock also reached 80-week high on 24-Feb-2015.

747-237 · Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2015 6:09 am Post subject:

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150226/jsp/business/story_5505.jsp#.VO5q60ko6M8

SpiceJet to expand fleet

Feb. 25

SpiceJet owner Ajay Singh is planning to ramp up the airline's fleet to 40 from 32 aircraft for the winter schedule.

He is looking to add Boeing jets and do away with some of the smaller Bombardier aircraft.

The airline will also concentrate on foreign destinations within a distance of 2-5 hours. The strategy is similar to the one of former Indian Airlines, which used to make money by focusing on flights to South Asia, Gulf countries and a few Southeast Asian destinations.

"We want to expand the fleet to 40 from the current mix of 17 Boeings and 15 Bombardiers. We will take a call on how many Bombardiers we will retain but new additions will be of Boeings," said Singh, who recently took over the ownership of the airline from the Maran family.

The use of the 70-seater turbo-prop Bombardier Q400 for feeder services in Asia has proved too costly for the airline. Analysts maintain that Singh will either end the lease contracts for the entire set or prune the fleet size to add more wide-bodied Boeing aircraft, with lower operating cost per passenger.

"We have managed to revive consumer interest. Our airline is flying at 80 per cent plus on most routes. We have paid back all statutory dues. Things are looking good and its time to plan ahead," Singh said.

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747-237 · Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2015 7:10 am Post subject:

http://www.livemint.com/Companies/8nIbA2cka6ETKrRXUkPGnK/SpiceJet-to-clear-aircraft-lessor-dues-this-week.html

SpiceJet to clear aircraft lessor dues this week

Mar 02 2015

SpiceJet Ltd is set to clear dues of at least three aircraft leasing companies that stood by the airline during its tough times this week, according to two people familiar with the development.

The low-fare airline, which had to briefly ground its fleet for more than 10 hours in December owing to financial troubles, will clear dues amounting to nearly Rs.100 crore this week, they said.

Some of the aircraft leasing companies had threatened to take back the planes if the dues were not cleared. The airline did not disclose the details of dues to aircraft lessors. A SpiceJet spokesperson declined to comment when contacted on phone on Sunday.

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747-237 · Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2015 10:52 pm Post subject:

http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report-spicejet-clears-plane-rental-dues-pays-usd-10-mn-to-lessors-2065684

SpiceJet clears plane rental dues, pays USD10 mn to lessors

2 March 2015

SpiceJet on Monday cleared its aircraft rentals dues by paying USD 10 million to some of its lessors.

"The airline has paid USD 10 million to three lessors towards rentals for six of its Boeing 737-800 aircraft. The dues have been cleared till October," they said.

B&B Air and two other lessors have dragged SpiceJet to the court after it defaulted on the lease rentals following the severe cash-crunch, which lasted for almost a year. They have filed petitions in Delhi High Court seeking deregistration of six Boeing-737 planes leased to SpiceJet, on which the court has reserved its order.
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GF1011 · Member Joined: 02 Jan 2015 Posts: 87

http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/spicejet-plane-skids-at-hubli-no-one-hurt-115030800787_1.html

A SpiceJet Bombardier Q400 plane with 75 passengers and crew skidded off the runway at Hubli airport in Karnataka on Sunday evening. No one was injured in the incident.

The incident took place around 7:30 pm. The pilot was unable to control the aircraft after he landed the aircraft in rain.

"The left landing gear of the aircraft is damaged. A DGCA team will be visiting Hubli for inspection and inquiry," an aviation source said.

Hubli airport does not have an instrument landing system. It also does not have runway approach lights.

"All passengers and crew safe and in terminal. There are no injuries" said a SpiceJet spokesperson.

747-237 · Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2015 6:26 am Post subject:

Accident: Spicejet DH8D at Hubli on Mar 8th 2015, runway excursion on landing

A Spicejet de Havilland Dash 8-400, flight SG-1085 from Bangalore to Hubli (India) with 74 passengers and 4 crew, landed on Hubli's runway in rain at about 19:15L (13:45Z) but veered off the runway and came to a stop off the runway on soft ground with the left main gear collapsed. The aircraft was evacuated. There were no injuries, the aircraft received substantial damage to left hand main gear, propeller and engine.

The airline confirmed the Dash 8-400, flight SG-1085, skidded off the runway while landing in Hubli in heavy rain. There were no injuries, India's DGCA was informed and has opened an investigation.

The provincial governor reported that the aircraft had arrived over the aerodrome at 18:40L and entered a hold due to rain/weather before commencing the approach at about 19:15L. The aircraft touched down hard causing the left main gear to collapse and veered off the runway.

No Metars are available, the local weather station reported at 17:30L: thunderstorms, rain, temperature 22 degrees C, dew point 19 degrees C, QNH 1010 hPa, 4km visibility, winds from east at 6 knots. At 20:30L the weather station reported: thunderstorms, rain, temperature 21 degrees C, dew point 19 degrees C, QNH 1015 hPa, visibility 4km, winds from southwest at 4 knots.

The airport features a runway 08/26 of 1674 meters/5490 feet length and one NDB. Runway 08 threshold is displaced by 105 meters leaving a landing distance available of 1569 meters, Runway 26 threshold is displaced by 54 meters leaving a landing distance available of 1620 meters. AIP India publishes a NDB circling approach as only instrument approach to the aerodrome.

The aircraft off the runway (Photo: Shylaja Varma):

http://avherald.com
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747-237 · Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 6:48 pm Post subject:

http://www.livemint.com/Companies/1nd5SPyqv3zKUjkRiYehHI/SpiceJet-in-talks-with-Bombardier-to-lower-maintenance-costs.html

SpiceJet in talks with Bombardier to lower maintenance costs

SpiceJet Ltd on Thursday said it has received multiple offers from manufacturers of small planes to replace its Bombardier fleet even as the cash-strapped firm is in discussion with the Canadian plane maker to lower maintenance costs.

SpiceJet, India’s second-largest low-fare airline, has 15 78-seater Bombardier Q400 turboprop aircraft to connect small cities. The airline had complained about higher maintenance expenses.

SpiceJet has got offers from Brazilian plane maker Embraer SA, Toulouse-based ATR, a company promoted by Airbus Group, and Italy’s Alenia Aermacchi to replace Bombardier fleet, said Ajay Singh, the new promoter of Spicejet.

Singh said he has received offers from aircraft lessors as well.

“Currently, we are in discussions with Bombardier Inc. to significantly lower the maintenance costs,” Singh said.

Mint could not immediately contact Bombardier for comment.

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747-237 · Posted: Fri Mar 13, 2015 1:15 pm Post subject:

http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/spicejet-says-got-offers-from-foreign-airlines-to-buy-stake-115031300026_1.html

SpiceJet says got offers from foreign airlines to buy stake

March 13, 2015

Beleaguered carrier SpiceJet has been approached by foreign airlines seeking to buy a stake as the company tries to turn around.

The offers are "premature" and SpiceJet is keeping the "dialogue alive" with the foreign airlines, Ajay Singh, who in February acquired a majority stake in SpiceJet, said in an interview on Wednesday. He declined to name the carriers that have approached his company.

"We have offers for a strategic sale, there's no doubt about it," Singh said. "We feel it's a little premature for a strategic sale to be happening here."
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747-237 · Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2015 1:17 pm Post subject:

http://www.mro-network.com/news/2015/03/lessors-deregister-spicejet-737s-over-pay/5067

Lessors deregister Spicejet 737s over pay

20/03/2015

Troubled Indian carrier SpiceJet has had six of its leased 737 aircraft deregistered for non-payment, news sources have reported.

The aircrafts’ two owners, AWAS Ireland and Wilmington Trust of Dublin, have allegedly asked India’s Directorate General for Civil Aviation to export the assets.

The airline has said it expects to resolve issues with the lessors and co-founder, Ajay Singh, who has returned to the company, has reportedly paid $10m of its leasing debts.

Last December, Singh rescued the struggling airline with a financial package but it is unclear whether this will be enough.

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