Unpaid tax stalls India’s SpiceJet returning leased B737s

India's SpiceJet to induct 50 MAX by YE23, eyes freighters

As SpiceJet (SG, Delhi Int'l) resumed operations with its B737-8s on November 23, its chairman said the carrier would deploy 50 of the type by the end of 2023 as it phases out its older B737-800s.

“We will induct 50 aircraft during the 2022 and 2023 calendar years, and 15 to 20 of them will be used to replace older aircraft in the fleet,” Ajay Singh said, as quoted by the Economic Times newspaper, adding that the first four of these would be delivered "soon" to begin scheduled flight operations from December 10, 2021.

As the only current Indian operator of MAX aircraft, the low-cost carrier has so far taken delivery of thirteen B737-8s, the ch-aviation fleets advanced module shows. It has an additional 129 units on direct order from Boeing and plans to take 155 aircraft. All of the thirteen already in India "will start flying in the next 15-20 days," Singh added.

Singh confirmed that all compensation issues with Boeing had been settled, reiterating an earlier statement to that...

SpiceJet, Boeing settle MAX claims, may involve freighters

SpiceJet (SG, Delhi Int'l) announced on November 17 that it had agreed with Boeing (BOE, Chicago O'Hare) to settle outstanding claims related to the grounding of its B737 MAX fleet.

The indebted Indian low-cost carrier said in a short statement: “The company is pleased to announce that it has entered into a settlement agreement with Boeing, wherein Boeing has agreed to provide certain accommodations and settle the outstanding claims related to the grounding of 737 MAX aircraft and its return to service.”

It added, without elaborating further: “This paves the way for the induction of efficient and younger MAX aircraft into the company’s fleet and ensures the resumption of new aircraft deliveries from our order of 155 MAX aircraft.”

India’s civil aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), said on August 26 that it had cleared B737-8 and B737-9 jets for a return to service in the country. SpiceJet, the only current Indian operator of MAX aircraft, has so far taken delivery of thirteen -8s, the...

De Havilland resumes Dash 8-400 completion works

Following a three-month suspension, De Havilland Aircraft of Canada (DHC, Toronto Downsview) has resumed the completion of its remaining DHC-8-Q400s having reached an agreement with labour unions.

"The company is completing the aircraft currently under production. The announcement follows the ratification on October 26, 2021, of collective agreement extensions by members of Unifor Locals 673 and 112 who work at the Toronto Downsview site," the manufacturer said.

It did not specify any details of the agreement.

De Havilland announced in February 2021 it would suspend the production of the Dash 8s for an unspecified time after the units already under construction had been completed. The lease on its Toronto Downsview facility is set to expire by the end of 2021, following the 2018 sale of the site to the Public Sector Pension Investment Board. Following the February announcement - which cast doubt on the future employment of around 500 staff - unions began a strike in July, halting the completion of partially-assembled aircraft still on the production line.

The manufacturer underlined...

India's SpiceJet chartering in a B767 for Euro ops