This is an interesting revelation, although I have many questions …
SpiceJet plans to fly to the U.S.
SpiceJet is a low-cost Indian airline that launched in 2005, and currently operates a fleet of more than 100 aircraft. Until now, the airline has primarily operated short-haul flights, although it appears that the airline is thinking of everyone.
SpiceJet is reported to have informed the Bombay Stock Exchange today of its intention to initiate service to the United States. The airline has been designated as a “scheduled Indian airline” with regulators for operations between India and the United States.
The airline allegedly made this request earlier in the year, and approval has just arrived. Given what has happened in the past few months, I think it is safe to say that the airline may already be reconsidering those plans.
However, this is just the first step in launching the airline’s flights to the US SpiceJet will still have to ask the US Federal Aviation Administration for permission for these flights to actually be allowed.
SpiceJet would be the first low-cost airline to offer flights between India and the US:
- Currently, the only Indian airline flying to the US is Air India.
- Jet Airways used to fly to the US (with a stopover in Europe), but the airline settled last year
777 First Class Air India
The main trap with the SpiceJet ad
There are two main red flags with SpiceJet’s plans to fly to the United States.
The first problem is that SpiceJet doesn’t actually have a plane capable of flying nonstop to the United States. SpiceJet’s largest aircraft is the Boeing 737, which is not long enough to operate these flights.
The airline doesn’t even have another wide-body aircraft in order. To be fair, I imagine there will be plenty of used aircraft coming soon, given that airlines around the world are retiring planes due to the current pandemic (look at Delta, for example, which is retiring its entire 777 fleet).
But that also leads us to the second question, what exactly does the economy of this service have? Ultra long distance routes are notoriously difficult to earn money, and that’s even truer when you consider:
- SpiceJet is a low-cost airline, which means the airline doesn’t go after business travelers, who are generally key to making these routes work.
- While partnerships could be established, SpiceJet does not have an existing one that can provide power to its flights in the US.
- The US to India market is already highly competitive among Gulf airlines, offering low fares and superior service, so SpiceJet may struggle.
Mainly, people prefer to fly Gulf airlines between the US and India
Bottom line
SpiceJet allegedly received approval from Indian regulators to operate flights to the United States. If the airline were serious about starting this service, it would still need to obtain permission from the US FAA, not to mention acquiring aircraft capable of operating the routes.
That doesn’t even go into the highly questionable service economy like this.
I see several Indian media outlets referencing that SpiceJet has become the first low budget Indian airline to fly to the US, although that seems a long way from becoming a reality …
If a second Indian airline started flying to the United States, I would think Vistara would be much more likely, given that the airline now has 787.
What do you think of SpiceJet’s service aspirations in the United States?
