SpiceJet has been the talk of the town for kickstarting widebody international operations for a long while now. They’ve applied for slots in the UK and also received allocations many times, but then, they have not started operations in the desired timeframe. However, recently, SG has been announcing they have been applying for and receiving “designated” status for UK and US operations from India. SpiceJet was also talking to OmanAir for an A330 aircraft on wet-lease.

SpiceJet has now wet-leased an A330-900neo from Hi-Fly, Portugal- headquartered wet-lease specialist, to operate a charter flight from Amsterdam Schipol to Bangalore and Hyderabad on August 1, 2020. Hi-Fly had received delivery of this aircraft just about 1 year ago from Airbus. Hi-Fly’s A330neo has 18 Business & 353 Economy class seats. At this moment it is not clear if this is a one-off or will SpiceJet engage on this wet-lease for a longer-term.

The flight is a community charter being organised by a group of Indians in the Netherlands, who contracted this operation to SpiceJet. SpiceJet, in turn, wet-leased an aircraft from Hi-Fly, which will fly to Amsterdam Schipol, pick up the passengers and bring them to India.

The flight, HFY471, departs from Amsterdam on August 1, 2020, at 2:45 PM and arrives in Bengaluru on August 2, 2020, at 3:30 AM. It will further take off for Hyderabad as HFY123 at 5:35 AM. Ticketing is being handled by Skanda Travels BV, who are selling Business class tickets at 960 Euros for a one-way flight and 635 Euros for Economy Class.

What beckons an answer, however, is the role of SpiceJet in the whole process. I mean, the group could have gone directly to Hi-Fly and chartered this plane. Any thoughts on the role SpiceJet had to play in the process?

(H/T to Arindam Majumder)

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