SpiceJet adds Airbus A340 to fleet amid Airbus’ first-ever board meeting set for next week in New Delhi

SpiceJet has signed a lease agreement to induct a wide-body Airbus A340 aircraft, arriving in India by late September and expected to start operations in early October.

The airline plans to initially operate the A340 on a wet lease, later transitioning to a damp lease for operational flexibility and cost efficiency.

A wet lease is when an airline provides the aircraft, full crew, maintenance, and insurance, while the lessee pays by flight hours. Meanwhile, a damp lease provides the aircraft, cockpit crew, and maintenance, but the lessee supplies cabin crew and covers some costs like fuel. This acts as a middle ground between a wet and dry lease.

Discussions are currently underway for a second A340, signalling long-term fleet expansion.

“We are thrilled to introduce the Airbus A340 into our fleet as part of our ongoing efforts to enhance our service offerings and expand our domestic and international network. This aircraft will allow us to tap into new markets and expand our international footprint. With another A340 under negotiation and 18 Boeing 737 aircraft joining our fleet soon, SpiceJet is poised for one of its most ambitious growth phases,” said Debojo Maharshi, Chief Business Officer, SpiceJet, in a statement.

This move complements SpiceJet’s recent agreement to add 18 Boeing 737 aircraft, including four 737 MAX jets, from October 2025. SpiceJet currently operates Boeing 737s and Q-400s, offering spacious SpiceMax seating and being one of India’s leading regional carriers under the UDAN scheme.

The announcement comes just a day after reports about Airbus holding its Board of Directors meeting in New Delhi next week was released. This is reportedly going to be the company’s first board meeting in India since it began its operations in India nearly 60 years ago.

India currently supplies over $1.4 billion in components and services to Airbus annually, with plans to increase sourcing to $2 billion by 2030, as announced by CEO Guillaume Faury at the Airbus summit 2025 in Toulouse, France in March.

For Airbus, India is one of its fastest-growing civil aviation markets globally, which operates around 700 Airbus aircraft. With the latest addition of Spicejet, the total number of Indian airlines deploying Airbus aircraft has gone up to three. IndiGo and Air India already have placed as many as 1,000 aircraft orders combined.