Indian low-cost carrier SpiceJet has started re-introducing its previously grounded fleet of Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft back into active service. The fleet had been grounded for several months toward the end of 2024 following maintenance issues and the lack of engineering support for the type’s CFM LEAP-1B engines. According to the airline, the development “marks a significant milestone in the airline’s fleet restoration and operational enhancement efforts.”

On December 20, 2024, the airline announced that it had reached an agreement with StandardAero Inc, a leading US-based engine maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) provider, along with CFM International to restore the airline’s Boeing 737 MAX fleet to service. The agreement with StandardAero followed the signing of support agreements with both CFM International and the lessors of the grounded 737 MAX aircraft. These developments paved the way for the return to service of an initial three Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft by April 2025.

Under its ongoing fleet restoration plan, the airline aims to bring back a total of ten grounded aircraft, which includes the three Boeing 737 MAX planes, back into service by mid-April 2025. The restructuring aligns with SpiceJet’s fleet restoration strategy which has seen rapid progress since the carrier resolved outstanding legal disputes with multiple aircraft leasing firms including Export Development Canada, Engine Lease Finance Corporation, Babcock & Brown Aircraft Management, Aircastle (Ireland), Wilmington Trust SP Services (Dublin) Limited, Shannon Engine Support Limited and Genesis.

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