IndiGo’s loss is SpiceJet’s gain: Airline is expected to gain momentum, target high-demand routes

SpiceJet is expected to gain the maximum from the 10% capacity gap created by the IndiGo fiasco with the induction of 17 aircraft into active operations since the start of the winter schedule from October 26 this year.

SpiceJet is targeting the high-demand metro routes to deploy this enhanced fleet availability. “It gives us the operational flexibility to deploy incremental capacity on high-demand routes and improve overall network resilience,” said the airline.

As per the government order, IndiGo’s winter schedule of daily flights has been cut down by around 210 flights on high frequency sector. Air India and Akasa have so far not announced any extra capacity addition to the winter schedule. With an extra 10% capacity to be redistributed, they may rework it.

These inductions were through a mix of damp-leased aircraft and the return of our own aircraft to service, giving the low-cost carrier the operational flexibility to deploy incremental capacity on high-demand routes and improve overall network resilience.

SpiceJet plans to introduce up to 100 additional daily flights during the current winter schedule, subject to regulatory approvals. This will be in addition to the surge in 76 daily flights during the ongoing winter schedule. The company’s stock has been on a surge in the past week, due to capacity addition.

In just over a month, the airline has done 15 aircraft inductions -- 14 planes added on damp lease (including two 737 MAX) and the successful ungrounding and reactivation of a Boeing 737 MAX from the airline’s grounded inventory.

In the winter schedule, the airline saw the highest 26% growth in weekly departures in the winter schedule 2025 over its summer schedule 2025 and a 21% growth over the weekly departures as per the winter schedule 2024.

Air India’s winter schedule 2025 over its summer schedule 2025, was, 0.77% and -10.5% over the weekly departures as per winter schedule 2024.