India Weekly: Air India, Aero Manufacturing, SpiceJet, and a “Sea Port”

This week, Indian aviation focused on Air India’s aggressive international expansion, aerospace manufacturers’ localization efforts, SpiceJet’s plans to operate widebody aircraft, and an ambitious offshore airport project. Air India Air India is set to expand its international operations significantly this summer, aided by its flights and new codeshare agreements. The airline is increasing frequencies on several key routes, including an upgrade in services to the United Kingdom. Flights between Delhi and Heathrow will increase from 21 to 24 per week, operated by the modern Airbus A350-900 and Boeing 787-9 aircraft. Additionally, the Amritsar-Birmingham and Amritsar-London Gatwick routes will increase from three to four weekly flights, while Ahmedabad-Gatwick services will expand from three to five per week. Beyond the UK, Air India is strengthening its presence in Europe and Asia. The Delhi-Zurich and Delhi-Vienna routes will each gain an additional weekly flight, improving connectivity for travelers. The airline will increase its Delhi-Seoul (Incheon) service in East Asia from four to five weekly flights. The Delhi-Hong Kong route will also be upgraded to a daily Boeing 787 Dreamliner service, enhancing capacity and comfort. Additionally, Delhi-Nairobi flights will increase from three to four per week. However, the airline will suspend its non-stop Mumbai-Melbourne service until September and the Kochi-London Gatwick route until further notice. Air India has also expanded its codeshare agreements with Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, and Virgin Australia, providing more options for passengers traveling across the Indian subcontinent, Europe, Australia, and the Americas. The airline is a member of the Star Alliance. Furthermore, Air India is progressing with its fleet modernization program. Starting in April, the airline will begin retrofitting its Boeing 787 aircraft, with refreshed interiors expected to enter service by October 2025. The Boeing 777 upgrades, initially scheduled for 2025, have been delayed to early 2026 due to production constraints and will undergo a partial interior makeover. Aerospace Leading aerospace companies, including Airbus, Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Rolls-Royce, are increasing their sourcing from India, partly due to supply chain disruptions in the West. “India is the best solution to supply chain challenges,” said Huw Morgan, Senior Vice President for Aerospace Procurement at Rolls-Royce, at a recent industry event. “Our engine volumes are growing at around 20%, and traditional supply chains are simply unable to support this growth,” he added, noting that the British firm plans to double its sourcing from India within five years. “India is the best cost market.” Airbus currently sources approximately $1.25 billion of components from India and aims to double this contribution in the coming years. Bengaluru-based aerospace firms like JJG Aero are benefiting from this trend. CEO Anuj Jhunjhunwala noted that while it took 12 years to reach $2 million in revenue, the company has achieved $20 million in the last six years alone. “Earlier, we were chasing customers. Now, they are equally interested in evaluating Indian machine shops,” Jhunjhunwala said, highlighting how contracts are being signed more quickly, and onboarding processes have become more efficient. SpiceJet SpiceJet is exploring the possibility of operating widebody aircraft as part of its international expansion plans. Speaking at the Aviation Festival Asia 2025 event in Singapore, Chairman Ajay Singh stated that the airline is discussing potential widebody fleet options with major aircraft manufacturers. The airline previously operated long-haul flights during the COVID-19 pandemic using wet-leased aircraft. With growing demand for long-haul travel, SpiceJet aims to position itself alongside other Indian carriers, such as Air India and IndiGo, which have already placed substantial widebody aircraft orders. But importantly, he underlined, “Once we stabilize our operations, certainly, that’s the space we want to look at,” Singh said. SpiceJet has faced significant financial struggles, shrinking to one-third of its pre-pandemic fleet size and operating around 30 aircraft. “Sea Port” India plans to construct its first offshore airport near Mumbai to reduce congestion and support aviation growth. The airport will be developed on an artificial island near the Vadhvan Seaport, following a model similar to Hong Kong International Airport and Osaka’s Kansai International Airport. The project has received initial approvals from federal and state agencies, with feasibility studies underway. The Airports Authority of India oversees the development, which aims to enhance the country’s aviation infrastructure and accommodate increasing air traffic. The proposed airport is approximately 125 kilometers (77.7 miles) from Mumbai’s existing international airport. Meanwhile, a second brand-new airport is set to open in the coming weeks in Navi Mumbai, on the outskirts of India’s financial capital.

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