Ajay Singh, chairman and managing director of SpiceJet, has said that the low-cost airline was too small to take over and turnaround Jet Airways, which needs a deep-pocketed strategic investor. In an interview with business news channel, CNBC TV18, Singh also said that SpiceJet has leased 28 aircraft, including Boning 737-800 NG and Bombardier Q400s, from Jet Airways’ grounded fleet so far and plans to add 15 more in the coming weeks. He said that SpiceJet has hired 1,000 employees, including pilots and cabin crew, from Jet which temporarily suspended all operations from April 17.
“We have signed LoI (letters of intent) for 28 Jet aircraft and we are starting to induct those aircraft tomorrow. We are in discussion to add 15 more Jet aircraft so it should be around 40 aircraft in all. These planes are going to need people to fly them and who better to fly them than people who are already trained to do it. We have recruited about 1,000 of Jet’s staff and as and when we require more people we will do it,” Singh told the business channel.
