SpiceJet ties-up with Brussels Airport for

 SpiceJet ties-up with Brussels Airport for seamless delivery of Covid-19 vaccine between India and Europe and beyond

·         Strategic partnership will aid in the global mission of a speedy and reliable solution for vaccine transportation

·         SpiceXpress to provide air connectivity to carry Covid-19 vaccine pan India and internationally with proper temperature-controlled mechanism

SpiceJet, the country’s favourite airline, today announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Belgium’s Brussels Airport for providing seamless transportation of Covid-19 vaccine.

As strategic partners, both SpiceJet and Brussels Airport Company NV will jointly work with the Government, pharma companies and forwarders to ensure a reliable ecosystem for vaccine delivery in a temperature-controlled environment. Besides, they will also work towards developing and strengthening a direct air link for SpiceJet with Brussels Airport.

 As part of this association, Brussels Airport will be SpiceJet’s first flight point for Europe. The airline’s cargo arm, SpiceXpress, envisions to provide rapid and secure transportation of Covid-19 vaccine from and to Europe and beyond with proper temperature-controlled mechanism under the MoU.

 Brussels Airport shall provide assistance to SpiceJet with regards to slots, networking contracts etc. to provide efficient and speedy solution for delivery. Brussels Airport has several years of expertise in the transport of temperature-sensitive products and has handled multiple flights carrying Covid vaccine recently.

 Ajay Singh, Chairman & Managing Director, SpiceJet said, “We are delighted to partner with Brussels Airport in our fight against the pandemic. This tie-up will help SpiceJet to seamlessly transport vaccines not only from Europe and beyond to India but also help Indian manufacturers export extremely sensitive drugs in a safe and controlled environment. We are fully committed and prepared to transport the Covid vaccine and assist in the biggest vaccination drive in the history of mankind.”

 Arnaud Feist, CEO, Brussels Airport Company said, “As Europe’s preferred airport for the transport of temperature-sensitive products, Brussels Airport, certified IATA CEIV Pharma, has more than 30,000m² of temperature-controlled areas. As from today, we have already shipped more than 10 million doses of vaccine from our Brucargo platform to destinations around the world. In this context, we are very pleased to be partnering with SpiceJet and to be able to offer our expertise for the future distribution of vaccines from India within Europe and beyond. Together, we will make our contribution to the solution to this global health crisis.”

 As part of its continued efforts to take up the responsibility of transporting Covid-19 vaccine to every part of the country as well as outside India, SpiceJet has partnered with GMR Hyderabad Air Cargo, Om Logistics Ltd., Snowman Logistics among others. 

 With a network spanning 54 domestic and 45 international destinations and a fleet of 17 cargo planes, SpiceXpress is capable of flying over 500 tonnes of cargo per day to both domestic and a wide list of international destinations. The airline has also tied up with global leaders in cold chain solutions offering active and passive packaging with dedicated equipment to perform seamless cold chain operations.

 SpiceXpress has the capability to transport extremely sensitive drugs, vaccines blood samples and medicines in controlled temperatures ranging from -40°c to +25°c. Besides, the airline also offers other benefits such as a network of warehouses equipped with deep freezers to enable change of cool packs and ground vehicles and containers to help transport sensitive cargo.

 Ever since the lockdown began, SpiceJet and its cargo arm, SpiceXpress, has played a critical role and worked relentlessly to ensure that the country’s supply chain remained intact. The airline has helped in the transportation of vital goods and medical supplies to all corners of India and the world. SpiceJet has operated more than 12,600 cargo flights since the lockdown began and carried around 1,02,000 tonnes of cargo. SpiceXpress has the capability of providing door-to-door deliveries to over 12,600 pin codes across India.

SpiceJet and visuals on

SpiceJet and visuals on vaccine consignment:

 “I am happy to share that SpiceJet has carried India’s first consignment of Covid vaccine today. The first consignment of Covishield consisting of 34 boxes and weighing 1088 kg was carried from Pune to Delhi on SpiceJet flight 8937. 

We will be carrying multiple vaccine consignments to different Indian cities including Guwahati, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bhubaneswar, Bengaluru, Patna and Vijayawada through the day today. SpiceJet is fully committed and prepared to transport the Covid vaccine both within and outside India. 

 Today marks the beginning of a long and decisive phase in India’s fight against the pandemic and SpiceJet is proud to assist in the biggest vaccination drive in the history of mankind,” said Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet.

SpiceJet ties-up with GMR Hyderabad Air Cargo for

 SpiceJet ties-up with GMR Hyderabad Air Cargo for storage & seamless delivery of Covid-19 vaccine

·         The strategic partnership is envisioned to not only provide a speedy and reliable solution for vaccine delivery, but to also create a sustainable cold chain network

·         SpiceXpress to provide first mile pick up and last mile delivery pan India and internationally

·         SpiceXpress has the capability of transporting extremely sensitive drugs, vaccines and blood samples in controlled temperatures ranging from -40°c to +25°c

SpiceJet, the country’s favourite airline, today announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with GMR Hyderabad Air Cargo (GHAC), the cargo division of GMR Air Cargo & Aerospace Engineering Ltd. (GACAEL), for providing a seamless service to all vaccine manufacturers in the region.

As part of this association, SpiceXpress – the cargo arm of SpiceJet – envisions to provide efficient, speedy and reliable solution for vaccine delivery, while also creating a sustainable cold chain network. SpiceXpress aims to provide the first mile pick up and last mile delivery to carry COVID–19 vaccines across the domestic and international markets in a temperature controlled environment.

Under the MoU, GHAC shall provide available required space on priority for SpiceJet’s vaccine shipments besides training its personnel along with the airline for specific customer requirement. SpiceJet on its part will keep a dedicated fleet of freighters including wide-body aircraft at Hyderabad airport to handle all domestic and international consignments.

Hyderabad, which is already at the centre stage of India’s Covid-19 vaccine development programme, is expected to be a key hub in the manufacturing and distribution of the vaccine both domestically as well as globally. The association between SpiceJet and GHAC will aid the manufacturers in the region by ensuring seamless delivery of the vaccine.

Ajay Singh, Chairman & Managing Director, SpiceJet said, “We are delighted to have GMR Hyderabad Air Cargo as a partner in our fight against the pandemic. Delivering Covid-19 vaccines safely not just within India but across the globe is a task we are fully committed to. With strong partners and our capability to transport extremely sensitive drugs and vaccines in controlled temperatures of up to -40°c, we feel that we are fully prepared to assist in the biggest vaccination drive in the history of mankind.”

As part of its continued efforts to take up the responsibility of transporting Covid-19 vaccine to every part of the country as well as outside India, SpiceJet has recently partnered with Om Logistics Ltd. and signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Snowman Logistics.

With a network spanning 54 domestic and 45 international destinations and a fleet of 17 cargo planes, SpiceXpress is capable of flying over 500 tonnes of cargo per day to both domestic and a wide list of international destinations. The airline has also tied up with global leaders in cold chain solutions offering active and passive packaging with dedicated equipment to perform seamless cold chain operations.

SpiceXpress recently introduced a new specialized service called Spice Pharma Pro, which has the capability to transport extremely sensitive drugs, vaccines blood samples and medicines in controlled temperatures ranging from -40°c to +25°c. Besides, the airline also offers a plethora of other benefits such as a network of warehouses equipped with deep freezers to enable change of cool packs and ground vehicles and containers to help transport sensitive cargo.

Ever since the lockdown began, SpiceJet and its cargo arm, SpiceXpress, has played a critical role and worked relentlessly to ensure that the country’s supply chain remained intact. The airline has helped in the transportation of vital goods and medical supplies to all corners of India and the world. SpiceJet has operated 11800 cargo flights since the lockdown began and carried around 93500 tons of cargo. Since 2018, SpiceJet has developed the capability of providing door-to-door deliveries to over 12,600 pin codes across India.

SpiceJet launches dedicated cargo flights to

 SpiceJet launches dedicated cargo flights to Leh ensuring timely & seamless supply of essentials during winters

First & only Indian airline to operate dedicated freighter services to Leh

 ·         Carries 13 tonnes of cargo supplies on its maiden flight from Delhi to Leh

·         Dedicated freighter services to boost connectivity & address challenges of surface transportation owing to bad weather conditions in the winters

·         Ensure timely supplies for the local populace & administration in Leh

SpiceJet, country’s favourite airline, today launched dedicated freighter services connecting Leh with the rest of the country. The airline operated its first freighter flight from Delhi to Leh carrying 13 tonnes of cargo supplies.

SpiceJet’s first freighter flight SG 7370 departed from Delhi at 9:05 am and reached Leh at 10:40 am. The airline’s first scheduled cargo flight from Leh departed at 11:25 am and was flagged of by Hon’ble Member of Parliament from Ladakh, Shri. Jamyang Tsering Namgyal. The flag off ceremony was attended by senior AAI and SpiceJet officials to celebrate the arrival of the first SpiceJet freighter flight to Leh. 

 

 SpiceXpress, the dedicated cargo arm of SpiceJet, will deploy its Boeing 737 freighter on this route. With the launch of the cargo services, SpiceJet is the first and only airline to have dedicated freighter flights connecting Leh.

Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet said, “SpiceJet is proud to launch the country’s first dedicated cargo flights connecting Leh with the National Capital and the rest of the country. Our flight services are especially significant considering the extreme weather conditions during winter months when temperatures fall below sub-zero levels hampering the movement of essential supplies and cargo for the local populace and administration in Leh. Our freighter services to Leh will ensure seamless and timely transportation of essential supplies to this most beautiful part of our country throughout winters.”

The new flights launched are seasonal and will operate during the winter months when surface transportation is disrupted owing to harsh weather conditions.  Leh, the largest town of the Union Territory of Ladakh, is primarily dominated by a mountainous landscape which makes surface transport even more difficult during the winters when the terrain is mostly covered with snow most of the time.

In line with its commitment to ensure seamless transportation of essential commodities, SpiceJet aims to address the geographical challenges while offering seamless connectivity through its cargo service.

The dedicated cargo flights will help transport fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers, perishables, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, and other general cargo. Besides improving logistics and connectivity, the new freighter service will ensure transportation of these essential commodities remains unaffected due to dipping temperatures and adverse weather conditions during these winter months.

SpiceJet operates a fleet of 17 cargo aircraft including three wide-body planes and is the only Indian carrier to operate long-haul non-stop cargo flights to Europe, Africa and CIS countries.

SpiceJet’s international cargo network now spans over 50 international destinations that include Almaty, Abu Dhabi, Baghdad, Bahrain, Bangkok, Bishkek, Cambodia, Cairo, Cebu, Chad, Colombo, Dhaka, Doha, Dubai, Erbil (Iraq), Guangzhou, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Huangzhou, Incheon, Jakarta, Kabul, Kathmandu, Khartoum, Kyrgyzstan, Kuala Lumpur, Kuwait, Male, Moscow, Myanmar, Shanghai, Singapore, Sharjah, Sulaymaniyah, Tashkent, Ukraine, Yekaterinburg (Russia) among others.

To enhance regional connectivity at various levels, SpiceJet became the first Indian carrier to introduce dedicated cargo flights for North Eastern India in September 2020. Pioneer of India’s ‘Marine Krishi Udaan’, SpiceJet had launched dedicated freighter flights earlier this year in February 2020, from Chennai & Vishakhapatnam to Surat & Kolkata to boost the country’s shrimp farming. The airline’s cargo services operate on both domestic and international routes, powered by fully integrated transportation network including air cargo, ground transportation and warehousing facilities across the country.

Since the nationwide lockdown began, the airline has operated more than 10,600 cargo flights and transported over 83000 tonnes of cargo since March 25, 2020.

In addition to handling its regular cargo business, SpiceXpress has been regularly transporting surgical supplies, sanitizers, face masks, coronavirus rapid test kits, IR thermometers etc. and providing doorstep deliveries of essential supplies, medicines and medical equipment to various cities in India.

Freighter schedule:

Flight No:

	Origin	Destination	Departure	Arrival	Date of operation
SG - 7370	Delhi	Leh	09:05	10:40	26-Nov, 2020
SG - 7371	Leh	Delhi	11:25	12:50	26-Nov, 2020
SG - 7370	Delhi	Leh	09:35	11:10	28-Nov, 2020
SG - 7371	Leh	Delhi	11:55	13:20	28-Nov, 2020
SG - 7370	Delhi	Leh	09:05	10:40	30-Nov, 2020
SG - 7371	Leh	Delhi	11:25	12:50	30-Nov, 2020

SpiceJet introduces ingeniously developed

SpiceJet introduces ingeniously developed, non-invasive, portable ventilators in its fight against COVID-19

SpiceOxy: Made in India, unique & compact BPAP ventilators for use at home, ambulances, hospitals & isolation centres

Also introduces Fingertip Pulse Oximeter

·         Cost-effective, non-invasive, portable device developed by SpiceJet Technic

·         SpiceJet Technic has the capability to ramp up production to 50,000 devices in three months

·         Effective solution for patients with mild to moderate breathing issues

·         SpiceOxy has been certified by international agency TUV

·         Available on www.spicestyle.com

After playing a prominent role during the nationwide lockdown and ensuring that the country’s supply chain remained intact and transport of vital and medical supplies wasn’t disrupted, SpiceJet is back with its latest innovation in the fight against COVID-19.

SpiceJet today announced the launch of SpiceOxy – a compact, portable, non-invasive ventilation device, which is an effective solution for patients with mild to moderate breathing issues. Additionally, SpiceJet has also introduced fingertip pulse oximeter, a handy device making it easier for people to measure the oxygen level of the blood. 

Proudly ‘Made in India’, SpiceOxy has been designed at SpiceJet’s innovation lab by a dedicated team of engineers from SpiceJet Technic, a subsidiary of SpiceJet. SpiceOxy has been certified by international agency TUV and has also obtained ISO 80601-2-80: 2018 (exclusive for medical equipments), IEC 60601-1:2005 and IEC 61000 certification.

Ajay Singh, Chairman & Managing Director, SpiceJet, said, “Today is a big day for SpiceJet as we take another giant step in our journey to building a stronger and a more Aatma Nirbhar India. I am extremely happy to share that the SpiceOxy ventilator and pulse oximeter that we are launching today is proudly ‘Made in India’, designed and manufactured by our talented team of engineers. I am sure that these non-invasive, portable ventilators will greatly help patients with breathing issues and other chronic problems and can be easily used at home and taken along during travel. SpiceJet will continue to foster innovation to address challenges and offer solutions.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has seen SpiceJet rise to the occasion and serve our fellow citizens when most wouldn’t venture out of their homes. There was not even a single day during the nation-wide lockdown when SpiceJet planes did not take-off. We have flown over one lakh Indians back to their homes and food and medicines and medical equipment to all corners of India and the world helping our country and fellow citizens when they needed it the most.”

SpiceOXY is intended to provide non-invasive ventilator support to treat adult and paediatric patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) or respiratory insufficiency. Since this device is turbine based and light weight, it is perfect to use at home, in an ambulance, on hilly terrains like army base camps, hospitals, and portable applications such as wheelchairs and gurneys.

The device can be used effectively for maintaining oxygen levels and ventilation in patients and can be of significant help for symptomatic COVID-19 patients with mild to moderate breathing symptoms to maintain oxygen saturation.

Besides being cost-effective, compact and easy-to-use, SpiceOxy is high on performance and requires minimal maintenance with good battery back-up. It offers various modes to aid patients with respiratory disorders. It also has a unique filtration circuit to prevent virus spread through aerosolisation. SpiceOxy is extremely effective in augmenting patient’s breathing by supplying pressurised air through a patient circuit. It senses the patient’s breathing behaviour by monitoring airflow in the patient circuit and adjusts its output to assist in inhalation and exhalation. This therapy is known as Bi-level ventilation.

SpiceOxy can effectively help patients with chronic health issues like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Obesity Hypoventilation, Pneumonia with respiratory failure, Asthma, Post-Surgical Respiratory Failure and other neurological diseases that affect breathing.

The high performance and affordable device is available for purchase online at SpiceJet’s e-commerce website, www.spicestyle.com.

In a span of 15 years, SpiceJet has been able to redefine the aviation industry with smart and innovative thinking. Setting industry precedence by operating India’s first Bio Jet fuel-powered flight, introducing electronic coaches at airports and in-flight entertainment based on ‘Made-in-India’ mobile Wi-Fi devices. During the nationwide lockdown, SpiceJet ensured medical and essential supplies reached their destinations on time. Helping farmers by maintaining continuity of the supply chain of fresh farm produce and other perishables to a host of initiatives that lead to more green miles, SpiceJet has been leading the industry in setting benchmarks. In its endeavour to keep the nation running, the airline ferried over 34,182 tonnes of cargo on more than 6,254 cargo flights since March 25, 2020.

SpiceScreen – Spicy Entertainment at

SpiceScreen – Spicy Entertainment at 35,000 Feet!

SpiceJet introduces complimentary in-flight entertainment on all its flights

Made in India: Collaborates with an Indian start-up to develop innovative technology

·         Top-notch technology developed using Android phones to work as Wi-Fi servers & content hub

·         Amazing entertainment delivered directly to your personal device via on board Wi-Fi

·         Compelling content for all ages – blockbuster movies, popular TV shows, cartoons and stand-up comedies

·         Remember to carry your earphones with you!

SpiceJet, India's favourite airline, today launched ‘SpiceScreen’ – the all-new complimentary in-flight entertainment system offering passengers seamless access to a wide range of indulging content on the go.

An enhanced version of the airline’s existing in-flight entertainment, SpiceScreen, is a first-of-its-kind, light-in-weight, wireless entertainment system that enables seamless delivery of content on to the personal devices of the passengers through the Wi-Fi network.

Unlike traditional in-flight entertainment systems, flyers can easily access SpiceScreen on any of their hand-held devices – a smartphone, tablet or a laptop by simply connecting to the on-board wireless network by following a few easy steps. SpiceScreen is now available across all SpiceJet flights.

Ajay Singh, Chairman & Managing Director, SpiceJet, said, “Innovation and SpiceJet go hand-in-hand. While we are extremely happy to launch our revamped in-flight entertainment system offering our passengers the latest and the best blockbuster content, what makes me specially happy and proud is that most of the technology used in SpiceScreen is ‘Made in India’ – developed indigenously by our team along with a local startup. Using Android  phones, weighing around 200 grams each, to perform the dual role of Wi-Fi servers and content hub is a remarkable achievement and costs us barely 1% of the cost that we were paying previously to foreign service providers!”

“Going forward, we will use the local Wi-Fi for providing additional on-board services to our customers. This is yet another step in our journey towards a stronger and a more Aatma Nirbhar airline.”

Made in India

SpiceJet’s collaboration with a local startup is backed by the strong belief in the idea of ‘Make in India’. This belief encouraged us to develop our own higher quality, low cost indigenous solution for in-flight entertainment at 35,000 feet. The technology enables us to use off the shelf, cost effective android mobile phones as the Wi-Fi server and router as well as the content hub and server.

The mobile phones are loaded with our specialized software and do not require SIM cards and each mobile phone can serve about 40 simultaneous connections. With two such mobile phones on-board, we are ready to offer every passenger the seamless high-quality movie watching experience. The entire system underwent rigorous safety checks including extensive safety and radio interference tests before being certified by the regulators to go live.

Our unique Wi-Fi server on-board allows us to quickly innovate in other areas too by developing software for other customer needs without having to depend on a foreign provider. In coming months, the food and beverage menu and duty free sale items will be available on the passenger’s mobile devices and can be ordered on-board through the device. All this and much more awaiting on-board for every SpiceJet flyer with our ’never before’ innovations aimed to give the best of flying experience.

SpiceScreen’s multimedia library

SpiceScreen’s multimedia library will host an abundance of indulging content catering to audiences across all age groups. Ranging from the latest critically acclaimed, blockbuster movies such as Gully Boy, Uri, Raazi, Parmanu and Petta, to popular TV shows like The Kapil Sharma show, Koffee with Karan and hilarious stand-up comedy specials from Kenny Sebastian, Filtercopy and What the Folks, the platform will have something for everyone.

SpiceScreen will also feature compelling regional content for users in 8 major languages – Tamil, Bengali, Telugu, Malayalam, Marathi, Kannada, Punjabi & Gujarati – with popular regional movies like Petta, Agni Devi (Tamil), Wass..Up Zindagi (Gujarati), Mayurakshi (Bengali). Besides, fun-filled content for kids such as Super Bheem, Suppandi & Friends will keep the tiny tots pleasantly engaged on-board. 

To connect to SpiceScreen, flyers need to follow three easy steps – 1. Put your device in airplane mode. 2. Enable Wi-Fi and connect to ‘SPICESCREEN’ Wi-Fi. 3. Open your favourite browser and visit spicescreen.com

SpiceJet posts a loss in Q4 on weak demand &

SpiceJet posts a loss in Q4 on weak demand & suspension of flight operations due to COVID-19

Reports 19% growth in revenue against the same quarter last year

Full year of MAX grounding inflates costs, impacts bottom line

Non cash loss of INR 473.4 crore for the Quarter due to Ind-AS 116

For the Quarter ending March 2020

·         Capacity (in terms of seat kilometre) up by  23%

·         Operating loss of INR 333.7 crore. Non-cash Ind-AS 116 impact of INR 473.4 crore. Net loss of INR 807.1 crore compared to net profit of INR 56.3 crore in the same period last year

·         Revenue from operations increased by 13% in spite of weak demand due to COVID-19

·         Revenue from cargo increased by 94%

·         Registers industry’s highest domestic load factor of 90%

For the year ending March 2020

·         EBITDAR profit of INR 1,636.8 crore

·         Reports a net loss of INR 934.8 crore in FY2020; without forex impact under Ind-AS 116, net loss would have been INR 237.8 crore

·         Passenger capacity up by 40%; substantial increase in cargo capacity

·         Operating income up by 36%

·         Aircraft fleet at 114 as on March 31, 2020

·         Registers domestic load factor of 92%; clocked 90% plus PLF for a record 58 successive months till February’20.

 Key highlights

·         Added 38 aircraft to fleet. Operated 570 average daily passenger flights before COVID-19.

·         Inducted 100th aircraft, a Boeing 737, in May 2019

·         Secured premium slots at key metros and international flying rights

·         Consolidated airport operations in Mumbai at Terminal 2

·         Added five 90-seater Q400 aircraft taking Bombardier fleet size to 32

·         Signed definitive codeshare agreement with Emirates

·         Actively using Ras Al-Khaimah airport as a hub for cargo operations

·         Likely return to service of the MAX in first quarter of CY2021 to be a big boost; will add operationally efficient aircraft to fleet

Current Highlights

·         Designated as an Indian scheduled carrier to operate to US and UK; to operate its first long-haul flight from Amsterdam on August 1, 2020

·         Has operated over 450 charter flights to repatriate over 75,000 Indian nationals stranded abroad

·         SpiceJet is now India’s largest air cargo company. Since the lockdown began, the airline has carried around 26,000 tonnes of cargo on more than 4650 flights

·         Cargo network spans over 63 domestic and 41 international destinations

·         Played a key role in transporting COVID-19 related medical and essential supplies during the lockdown period

·         Launched air ambulance service through a 100% subsidiary

·         Converted three Q400 passenger aircraft into freighters. Freighter fleet stands at eight as of July 2020

SpiceJet, India’s favourite airline and the biggest air cargo operator, reported a net loss of INR 807.1 crore in the fourth quarter of FY20 (that includes a non-cash loss of INR 473.4 crore due to forex loss on restatement of lease liability due to Ind-AS 116) against a profit of INR 56.3 crore in the same quarter of the previous year as business was adversely impacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the nation-wide lockdown that resulted in suspension of flight operations. The airline reported a net loss of INR 934.8 crore in FY 2020 (that includes a non-cash loss of INR 697.0 crore due to forex loss on restatement of lease liability due to Ind-AS 116).

Operating revenues were at INR 2,863.9 crore for the reported quarter and INR 12,358.6 crore for the fiscal 2020. On an EBITDA basis, loss was INR 223.6 crore for the reported quarter and profit of INR 1,273.9 crore for the fiscal 2020. On an EBITDAR basis, the loss is INR 90.9 crore for the reported quarter and profit of INR 1,636.8 crore for the fiscal 2020.

FY2020 posed multiple unprecedented challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the world-wide grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX which led to the overnight grounding of SpiceJet’s MAX fleet. On the grounded Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, the Company continues to incur various costs with respect to these aircraft and during this quarter ended March 30, 2020 on account of its inability to undertake revenue operations, the Company has recognized INR 134.5 crore towards aircraft and supplemental lease rentals and other identified expenses, as Other Income for the reported quarter. This is a part recognition of the total reimbursements, on which the Company is working with the aircraft manufacturer, towards various ascertained costs and losses incurred by the Company on this aircraft.

Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet, said, “Two key factors that adversely impacted our performance and bottom line was the COVID-19 pandemic that started affecting demand adversely from mid-February and grounding of the 737 MAX, which has been out of service for over a year now. Despite the year long grounding of the MAX aircraft, SpiceJet ran a profitable operation till COVID hit demand from mid-February. Indian and the global aviation industry are going through the toughest-ever phase in aviation history. We at SpiceJet have constantly adapted to the changing economic environment and I am happy that our cargo operations have performed very well. I am confident that things will only improve in the times to come. We remain cautious but optimistic about the future.”

In terms of operational parameters, SpiceJet had the best passenger load factor amongst all airlines in the country during the quarter and the year. The average domestic load factor for the quarter was 90% while for fiscal 2020 it was 92%. For 58 months-in-a-row, SpiceJet has flown with over 90% load factors in the Indian aviation market.

Key business updates                                       

After 13 years of being an integral part of SpiceJet, our CFO, Kiran Koteshwar, has decided to pursue an exciting opportunity overseas. He will remain with SpiceJet till August 31, 2020, and for a transition thereafter.

Since April 1, 2019, the airline has added 38 aircraft which included 737s, Q400s and freighters as it celebrated the big milestone of inducting its 100th aircraft – a Boeing 737.

SpiceJet consolidated its position at Mumbai Airport by shifting its operations from the Domestic Terminal (T1) to the state-of-the-art Terminal 2 (T2) at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.

During the lockdown, SpiceJet played a key role in keeping the country’s supply chain intact. On April 7, 2020, SpiceJet operated the India’s first cargo-on-seat flight carrying vital supplies in passenger cabin and belly space. Since then, the airline has been regularly deploying its B737 and Q400 passenger aircraft to carry cargo in the passenger cabin.

SpiceJet, the country’s largest cargo operator, has transported around 26,000 tonnes of cargo on more than 4650 flights since the lockdown began on March 25. SpiceXpress, SpiceJet’s dedicated cargo arm, in addition to handling its regular cargo business, also transported surgical supplies, sanitizers, face masks, coronavirus rapid test kits, IR thermometers etc. and providing doorstep deliveries of essential supplies, medicines and medical equipment to various cities in India during the lockdown period. The airline also helped Indian farmers maintain continuity of supply chains by operating special cargo flights to take farm produce, fresh fruit and vegetables to various domestic and international destinations.

SpiceXpress’s international cargo network now spans over 41 international destinations that include Almaty, Abu Dhabi, Baghdad, Bahrain, Bangkok, Bishkek, Cambodia, Cairo, Cebu, Chad, Colombo, Dhaka, Doha, Dubai, Guangzhou, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Huangzhou, Incheon, Jakarta, Kabul, Kathmandu, Khartoum, Kyrgyzstan, Kuala Lumpur, Kuwait, Male, Myanmar, Shanghai, Singapore, Sharjah, Sulaymaniyah, Tashkent, Ukraine, among others.

Pioneer of India’s ‘Marine Krishi Udaan’, the airline introduced dedicated freighter services to boost India’s shrimp farming in February 2020. Through SpiceXpress, the airline deployed its Boeing 737 aircraft on Chennai-Visakhapatnam and Surat-Kolkata routes, becoming the first to connect the cities through a freighter route.