Long haul ahoy: SpiceJet to get two Boeing 777s as part of Max grounding compensation

NEW DELHI: Low-cost carrier SpiceJet will next month get two Boeing 777s from the US aerospace major as part of compensation for the 13 B737 Max grounded for nearly 19 months. The airline has started the process of hiring pilots for these two planes and will use them either for long haul passenger or cargo flights depending on the Covid situation. Till last week before the newly identified Omicron variant had become such a major concern, it was a given that the two B777s will be used for passenger flights given the demand for nonstop long haul travel to North America.
SpiceJet CMD Ajay Singh had last Tuesday told TOI — on a Max flight to Gwalior — the airline is looking at long haul passenger flights. The airline is getting two B777 extended range (ER), not brand new, from Boeing. Air India has been successfully using the ER to fly nonstop to the east coast of North America for nearly 15 years now.
Boeing has not been commenting on the compensation package finalised with SpiceJet for the 13 grounded B737 Max.