As India’s aviation industry is grappling with ongoing IndiGo crisis, SpiceJet has launched a major winter push to fulfil the continued demand. In a statement released on Wednesday, the carrier outlined plans to add up to 100 daily flights during the ongoing winter schedule, noting that the expansion is still subject to regulatory approval. The airline, as cited by ET, said that the move reflects “strong and growing demand across key routes.” The carrier has been steadily building capacity ahead of the announcement. Seventeen aircraft have returned to operations over the past two months through a mix of damp leases and the revival of its own grounded planes, with more inductions expected. According to the airline, the additions provide “operational flexibility to deploy incremental capacity on high-demand routes and improve overall network resilience.” It further told ET added that its strategy is centred on “maximising aircraft utilisation, strengthening connectivity and better aligning capacity with demand.” The expansion marks a year-end acceleration for SpiceJet, combining a larger fleet with increased frequencies at a time when IndiGo’s troubles have created a rare opening in the domestic market. The market response has been swift. SpiceJet’s stock rose as much as 5% on December 10, reaching an intraday high of Rs 36. The jump extends a four-day rally that has lifted the share price by 19% in just a few sessions. As of 12:55 the stock was trading at Rs 34, up 1.5%, on the BSE. The surge comes as IndiGo faces the possibility of penalties for its handling of the turmoil that unfolded over the past several days. The airline cancelled more than 5,000 flights due to a shortage of pilots, prompting the government to order a 10% reduction in its approved winter schedule. The cut translates to roughly 110 flights a day being reassigned to other carriers.
IndiGo’s operational meltdown
IndiGo’s operational collapse has been striking for an airline that typically commands about two-thirds of India’s domestic traffic. The carrier’s on-time performance plunged to 8.5%, leading to large-scale cancellations across major hubs including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. The DGCA noted that IndiGo could not support the ~15,014 weekly departures allocated to it for the winter schedule and has directed a reduction. The disruptions left thousands of passengers facing last-minute changes and urgent searches for alternative flights. SpiceJet’s latest expansion aligns with this moment, as gaps left by IndiGo create immediate room for other domestic players to add capacity.
Shocks spill to the wider market
Travellers may see short-term relief as SpiceJet introduces more flights, which could ease pressure on busy routes affected by IndiGo’s cancellations. Better connectivity and additional choices are expected as the new flights roll out. For the aviation sector, IndiGo’s setbacks and SpiceJet’s rapid scale-up signal a potential rebalancing of market share during the winter travel period. With the regulator already stepping in to curb IndiGo’s schedule, the industry may face closer oversight of capacity management and service reliability going forward.
