SpiceJet announces order for 30 new Boeing aircraft

The deliveries for the new set of Boeing 737-800s will begin from 2014, while it is also expecting another seven to be dispatched till 2012, all adding to the current fleet size of 21 aircraft.

Thew airline also announced its first quarter results for the current financial year and said its net profit was up at Rs.55.2 crore, against Rs.26.3 crore in the like month of the previous year. Net sales were up at Rs.708 crore against Rs.525 crore.

"We are currently seeing a strong resurgence in domestic air traffic on the back of a robust macro-economic growth," said Kishore Gupta, director of SpiceJet aftrer a board meeting at the airline's headquarters in Gurgaon, in the outskirts of the capital.

"We expect domestic demand to grow at 16 percent during the current year and to sustain 12-14 percent annual growth in the medium-term. The growth will necessitate significant capacity induction," Gupta added.

The decision Tuesday follows SpiceJet announcing it was in the process of evaluating a far more aggressive fleet expansion over the next 18-24 months than originally planned in a bid to offer better value for money for customers.

The new aircraft will incorporate the new, spacious interiors with soft blue lighting, curving architecture and larger window that will offer a sense of spaciousness in the cabin and comfort for the passengers.

It will also offer larger stowage bins, where passengers can store their luggage closer to their seats, thereby reducing the anxiety they may have felt in the past, the budget airline said.

"Finally, the combination of noise-dampening material against the air plane’s interior skin and the design of the new integrated air grille will make the cabin quieter for a more comfortable flight."

SpiceJet commands a little over 13 percent market share in India, delivering one of the lowest air fares. It operates 141 flights daily to 19 cities with 99.6 of its flights keeping its schedules.