<p data-path-to-node="2" id="p-rc_f70935d2d936312e-135" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span class="citation-232 citation-end-232" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Faced with persistent capacity constraints and financial pressures, budget carrier SpiceJet has suspended its remaining flight operations from Chennai International Airport, marking a commercial exit from the Tamil Nadu aviation market.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c3748162914="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c3748162914="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="1" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span> <span class="citation-231 citation-end-231" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">The operational pullout follows a gradual reduction in the airline’s localized network footprint over recent months as leases expired on key aircraft assets.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c3748162914="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c3748162914="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="2" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c1333177768="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c1333177768="" _nghost-ng-c4102783319="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><p data-path-to-node="3" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;">The complete operational suspension ends direct passenger and belly-hold cargo connectivity provided by the carrier across primary domestic corridors out of the southern metro.</p><h3 data-path-to-node="5" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><b data-path-to-node="5" data-index-in-node="0" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;">Lease Expirations and Route Rationalization Trigger Network Exit</b></h3><p data-path-to-node="6" style="font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;">The network suspension reflects a broader consolidation strategy as the airline reallocates remaining fleet assets to high-yield regional routes:</p><ul data-path-to-node="7" style="padding-inline-start: 32px; font-family: &quot;Google Sans Text&quot;, sans-serif !important; line-height: 1.15 !important;"><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="7,0,0" id="p-rc_f70935d2d936312e-136" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span class="citation-230" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"></span><b data-path-to-node="7,0,0" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">The Final Route Discontinuation:</b><span class="citation-230 citation-end-230" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> The definitive pullout was triggered by the termination of SpiceJet's daily service connecting Chennai with Shivamogga in Karnataka.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c3748162914="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c3748162914="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="3" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span> Over the preceding months, the carrier had already phased out high-frequency regional routes from Chennai to industrial hubs like Coimbatore and Madurai.<sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c1333177768="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c1333177768="" _nghost-ng-c4102783319="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p></li><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="7,1,0" id="p-rc_f70935d2d936312e-137" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span class="citation-229" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"></span><b data-path-to-node="7,1,0" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Impact on Airport Traffic Volumes:</b><span class="citation-229 citation-end-229" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> Prior to its phased wind-down, SpiceJet was a key budget operator at Chennai airport which handles an average daily volume of 55,000 to 60,000 passengers linking Tamil Nadu to key centers including New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Patna, and Hyderabad.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c3748162914="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c3748162914="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="4" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c1333177768="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c1333177768="" _nghost-ng-c4102783319="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p></li><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="7,2,0" id="p-rc_f70935d2d936312e-138" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span class="citation-228" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"></span><b data-path-to-node="7,2,0" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Aircraft Wet-Lease Expirations:</b><span class="citation-228 citation-end-228" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> According to airport operational sources, the immediate driver for the complete suspension was the recent expiration of temporary wet-lease agreements for several aircraft.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c3748162914="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c3748162914="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="5" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span> <span class="citation-227 citation-end-227" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">The airline has downscaled its presence to adjust its schedules until a broader fleet ramp-up can be executed.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c3748162914="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c3748162914="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="6" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c1333177768="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c1333177768="" _nghost-ng-c4102783319="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></source-inline-chip><!----><!----><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p></li><li style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><p data-path-to-node="7,3,0" id="p-rc_f70935d2d936312e-139" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><span class="citation-226" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"></span><b data-path-to-node="7,3,0" data-index-in-node="0" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;">Projections for Winter Schedule Restoration:</b><span class="citation-226 citation-end-226" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> Senior airport officials indicated that the suspension of services is slated to be temporary.<source-footnote ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c3748162914="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c3748162914="" class="superscript" data-turn-source-index="7" style="line-height: 1.15 !important; font-size: 16px !important; background-color: transparent !important;"><!----></sup></source-footnote></span> The budget carrier currently plans to restore a structured network footprint out of Chennai during the upcoming winter schedule change, targeting an October 2026 resumption.<sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c1333177768="" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"> <source-inline-chip _ngcontent-ng-c1333177768="" _nghost-ng-c4102783319="" class="ng-star-inserted" style="line-height: 1.15 !important;"></source-inline-chip></sources-carousel-inline></p></li></ul>