One of India's major airlines, IndiGo, announced on Monday that over 30 planes had been grounded because of "supply chain issues." The airline is considering wet lease of aircraft as well as further possibilities to expand operations.
The airline, which had 279 aircraft in its fleet, was the sixth largest in the world in terms of daily departures. It presently flies to 100 locations, including 26 international ones, on more than 1,600 daily flights.
An IndiGo representative who was called on Monday confirmed to PTI that over 30 aircraft are grounded.
According to the spokesperson, substantial supply chain disruptions continue to affect the aviation industry on a global scale.
"As we work on various cost-efficient countermeasures with our OEM partners, the endeavour is to minimise the economic impact of around 30 AOG (Aircraft on Ground), resulting from this global disruption," the spokesperson quoted.
The airline is considering reducing the number of redeliveries through lease extensions, investigating the possibility of adding new aircraft to the fleet, and assessing the wet lease possibilities within the confines of the law.
"We are bullish on the market opportunities and will continue to add flights in existing and new markets," the airline said.
Over 57% of the home market is controlled by the carrier. According to CAPA, an aviation consulting company, around 75 aircraft operated by Indian airlines are currently grounded because of maintenance and engine-related concerns.
These aircraft, which make up 10% to 12% of the Indian fleet, are grounded because of maintenance or engine-related problems. In its India Mid-Year Outlook 2023, CAPA had stated that "they will have a considerable influence on financials in the second half."
On November 4, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers stated that the airline's operations have been hampered by the grounding of aircraft owing to supply chain disruption in aircraft manufacture and a subsequent global scarcity of spare engines.
He had stated that the difficulties were pushing them to "force us to look at alternative ways and means in order to ensure that we have the capacity to operate."
Due to increasing fuel prices and a foreign exchange loss, InterGlobe Aviation, the parent company of IndiGo, posted a wider loss in the September quarter of Rs 1,583.34 crore.
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