New Delhi, 10 December (H.S.): In the wake of IndiGo’s ongoing operational crisis, domestic carrier SpiceJet on Wednesday announced plans to expand its winter schedule by launching 100 additional daily flights to meet soaring passenger demand and offset the current capacity shortfall in the aviation sector.

The airline said the new flights would commence once regulatory approvals are secured.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, SpiceJet said demand for air travel on key domestic routes has been rising sharply, prompting the decision to increase operations. The move is viewed as a crucial step toward stabilizing overall market capacity following disruptions at IndiGo, which continues to grapple with pilot shortages and flight cancellations.

The announcement came hours after the Ministry of Civil Aviation reportedly directed IndiGo to cut 10 percent of its scheduled flights during a high-level review meeting held late Tuesday evening.SpiceJet has already inducted 17 aircraft into its operations over the past two months, including both damp-leased planes and previously grounded jets that have now been restored to service.

In November alone, the airline added five Boeing 737 aircraft, including one Boeing 737 MAX, bringing the total number of new aircraft introduced during the month to 15.The expansion underscores SpiceJet’s effort to capture growing market demand and strengthen its operational network at a time when the country’s largest airline is struggling with severe scheduling constraints.

Industry analysts say this could temporarily rebalance the domestic aviation market during the busy winter travel season.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar