Boeing’s top India buyer to take jets amid soured relations

SpiceJet is planning to take delivery of at least seven Boeing Co. 737 Max jets this year, according to people familiar with the matter, amid speculation the no-frills Indian carrier may not have enough cash to make pre-delivery payments. The airline—the only operator of Max jets in the world’s fastest-growing aviation market—will add the planes in the three months through December, the people said, asking not to be identified because the discussions are private. The carrier is also negotiating for five more 737 Max jets, the people said. SpiceJet ordered 155 of the jets with an option for 50 more in a $22b deal with Boeing back in 2017, and has 13 of the aircraft in its fleet currently. While it’s unclear why the airline didn’t restart deliveries for close to a year after Indian regulators allowed the Max to fly again in August 2021 following two deadly crashes, people familiar said the relationship between the US planemaker and SpiceJet has soured. Any transaction that would see SpiceJet begin taking deliveries again would therefore potentially be good news for Boeing in India, given its only customers with orders are SpiceJet and startup Akasa, which isn’t flying yet. Clawing back market share is crucial to break Airbus SE’s stronghold, fortified by the nation’s top airline, IndiGo, being the biggest buyer of its best-selling A320neo jets. A representative for SpiceJet said the airline will receive new 737 Max jets based on “mutually agreed” timelines from Boeing.<br/>