SpiceJet to bring back Boeing 737 MAX after 2 years, will offer free broadband

"SpiceJet started to fly this aircraft two days ago. And so far, with all the flights that we have flown, there's not even been a minor issue,'' Ajay Singh, the Chairman and Managing Director of SpiceJet, told NDTV.

SpiceJet, which is among India's largest private airlines, has banked heavily on the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. The airline has already acquired 13 of them out of a total order of 205 jets.

The overall worth of the deal is $22 billion and the airline expects supply of the aircraft to resume December onwards.

''It's incredibly important to have a fuel-efficient aircraft. The MAX is 20% more fuel-efficient than our older aircraft, the Boeing 737-NG,''  Singh told NDTV.

In addition to greater fuel efficiency, the MAX offers a revamped experience for budget travellers, he said.

The Boeing 737 will also have free streaming broadband services that will be available from next month onwards, which is a first in the Indian market.

''To start with it, it's going to be free, we are going to make sure that people are able to access the net fully and properly, in broadband mode. We probably won't allow calls to be made, because that will be disturbing for other passengers. But pretty much everything else,'' the SpiceJet Chairman said.