SpiceJet Ltd., the Indian budget carrier choosing between Boeing Co. and Airbus Group SE for its at least $11 billion order, has one condition: Delivery needs to be on time.
"One of the selling points for anybody to make the offer more attractive to SpiceJet would be early deliveries," Chairman Ajay Singh said in an interview at the airline’s headquarters near New Delhi.
"When Airbus and Boeing are talking to us, they are mindful of the fact that we need early deliveries."
Shares of the operator of IndiGo, India’s biggest airline, plunged 19 percent on Jan. 22 after saying Airbus will be unable to keep to the schedule for delivering the A320neo, while Qatar Airways Ltd. declined to take delivery of the A320neo because the engine needed special measures at start up.
There is no clarity yet on when actual deliveries will take place to these airlines.
Deliveries of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliners were delayed by three years.
