Budget carrier SpiceJet on Friday said it plans to add 10 narrow-body Boeing aircraft, including five B737 Max, on lease by October.

In the intervening period, the airline is revive its grounded fleet which will return to service soon, SpiceJet said in a statement.

“We will be inducting 10 B737 aircraft between September-October. The induction of these planes, which coincides with the peak travel season in India, will help us launch new routes and strengthen our presence on existing ones,” Ajay Singh, chairman and managing director of SpiceJet, said.

The airline said it has signed a lease agreement for the 10 planes, which will join the fleet in September to cater to the rising demand.

“There has been a significant surge in passenger demand and we are hopeful that this trend will continue in the latter part of the year as well,” said Singh.

The budget carrier said it will lease 20 CFM56 engines from FTAI Aviation Ltd, which will also offer maintenance services.This initiative aims to decrease maintenance costs, minimise aircraft downtime and improve the airline’s overall performance.

“Our partnership with FTAI Aviation is a step forward in that direction that would ensure that our fleet is up and running at all times without us worrying about engines or their maintenance,” Singh said.

The carrier has started the process of reviving its grounded fleet with the $50 million received under the government’s Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) and internal cash accruals.

It had announced plans to revive 25 grounded aircraft that will help it capitalise and make the most of the upcoming peak travel season.

IndiGo codeshare

IndiGo is all set to commence codeshare flights through Istanbul to the US as the no-frills carrier continues to expand its international connectivity.

The flights, in codeshare partnership with Turkish Airlines, will provide connections to New York, Boston, Chicago and Washington, effective June 15, it said in a release on Friday.

The airline, India’s largest in terms of domestic market share, already provides codeshare connections to 33 destinations.