SpiceJet's Boeing 737 MAX takes off again after 2.5 years of being grounded

The aviation industry can do with quiet efficiency, rattled as it has been by the Covid-19 pandemic.

A revitalised Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, which SpiceJet is hinging on to transform the low-cost carrier’s prospects, brings this very same promise of getting down to the repair job with minimum fuss. And literally so.

Before embarking on a breezy flight on Tuesday, carrying a press contingent from New Delhi along with aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia to his borough of Gwalior and back, one was privy to the note of optimism among officials of SpiceJet and Boeing.

Since the Federal Aviation Administration cleared the decks for the grounded aircraft exactly a year ago, 175-plus out of 195 global regulators have opened their airspace to the 737 MAX, and 32 airlines have resumed their fleets to service. For SpiceJet, it is a potential game changer as an economical aircraft that burns 20 per cent less fuel — the most expensive component of input costs —and incurs lower engineering costs, too.

“We are happy that the aircraft has been reinducted; it’s the backbone of SpiceJet’s fleet,” gushed SpiceJet chief Ajay Singh before takeoff. Belying fears over MAX's benighted past of being grounded after two fatal crashes (see box), Singh promised that it is the safest aircraft with no complaints of glitches following a software update and SpiceJet’s own recent trials. SpiceJet’s eventual aim is to replace all of its older Boeing 737-NG fleet with the MAX, and Singh is certain that flyers wouldn’t opt out of it.

A brunch and a press conference later, the proof of the pudding was in the eating. The aircraft, with its imposing wings and turbine engines, was parked for a good half hour longer than the planned 2 pm start. Scindia walked up the boarding stairs first, quietly past a gaggle of reporters and photographers. As the rest moved in and the plane taxied, one of the first signals of a smooth operator was how one wasn't alerted by the familiar “barking” sound — when a device that balances the hydraulics is at play.

As it took off also, the engine settled into a hum rather than a roar, and justified the claim that the new jet emanates 40 per cent less noise footprint, resulting in a quieter and silent cabin. Its other efficiencies include a cut in nitrogen emissions by 50 per cent, up to 20 per cent less fuel than older 737s, and more legroom than other carriers in its class. The roominess was accentuated by lean black-cushioned seats that come with an adjustable headrest. 

Another temptation is in the offing — the aircraft is equipped with Satcom that will enable it to offer broadband internet on board. SpiceJet has promised to introduce the feature soon, and for free initially. The only exception will be no voice call, as it could disturb passengers.

No sooner had the flight rid of the seat belt sign than a rush for a sound byte from the aviation minister ensued. But the reporters returned after persisting for a while, with murmurs of not getting any new word out of him although he addressed them patiently. For those who stayed put, the reward was a quick meal of fruits, paneer rolls, a vermicelli salad, mixed fruit juice and a dessert.

The sun shone brighter as the aircraft touched down on Gwalior, within 40 minutes of leaving from a sunny, smoggy Delhi. The minister left quietly, and the airline’s officials, crew and ground staff joined together for photo-ops on a red carpet on the tarmac.

The return flight, minus the minister, was swift and with less incident — as short trips tend to be.

Earlier in the day, Singh stressed that the airline’s objective is to clean up its balance sheet and promised a new spirit and SpiceJet 2.0, come January. He also anticipates a new class of first-time flyers — who took to flying for lack of options post-Covid, despite fears — adding to traffic growth as the aviation sector recovers with vaccination picking up pace in India.

The Boeing 737 MAX, making a clean break with its past, will be the key to that cleanup.

Fleet of all 13 MAX to take off soon

Low-cost carrier SpiceJet resumed services of the Boeing 737 MAX, which had been a backbone of its passenger fleet and was grounded for two-and-a-half years, on Sunday.

As its sole operator in India, SpiceJet hopes to significantly improve its bottom line with the 737 MAX, which its chairman Ajay Singh promised is the safest aircraft to fly and also more sustainable and less noisy than its older fleet. The 737 MAX was grounded globally after 346 people were killed in two airline crashes — off the Indonesian coast and in Ethiopia — in 2018-19.

SpiceJet had struck a $22-billion deal with Boeing for the delivery of up to 205 aircraft in 2017. Thirteen aircraft that had been in operation for six months and remained in India are resuming services now. Two aircraft are flying currently, while the rest are expected to in another 15-20 days — on domestic as well as international routes. Singh said the airline will try to expedite delivery of 50 MAX aircraft by 2023, starting December 10. Out of the 50, 15-20 will replace existing ones.