SpiceJet announced on Friday its plans to lease two A340 planes to facilitate Haj operations, with flights scheduled to operate from Srinagar and Guwahati. The first phase of these operations is set to begin on May 9th, heading to Medina.

Each of these wide-body aircraft will accommodate up to 324 passengers.

According to SpiceJet, the flights are scheduled to depart from seven cities across India, including Srinagar, Gaya, Guwahati, Bhopal, Indore, Aurangabad, and Vijayawada.

Last year, SpiceJet's Haj operations generated revenues amounting to Rs 337 crore.

Chandan Sand, Head of Leasing and Legal at SpiceJet, confirmed the finalization of the lease agreement for the induction of A340 aircraft.

He further stated that the airline is actively seeking opportunities to expand its fleet through long-term lease agreements.

The Haj operation comprises two phases: pilgrims journeying from India to Saudi Arabia (KSA) and then returning to India. The Ministry of Minority Affairs oversees the organization of the Haj pilgrimage in India. The Haj Committee of India (HCOI), a statutory body under the Ministry of Minority Affairs, manages various aspects of the pilgrimage, including:

Assessing past Haj arrangements
Setting airfare rates
Instructing pilgrims to pay airfare to the HCOI
Finalizing flight schedules
Allocating flights
Informing pilgrims of their departure dates
Advising pilgrims to arrive at the Embarkation Point two days before departure
Operating Haj flights from 21 Embarkation Points.

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