Brands
SpiceJet’s recovery takes flight as market share doubles
Domestic market share jumps from 1.9 per cent in September to 4.3 per cent by December
GURUGRAM: SpiceJet has staged a sharp domestic comeback, more than doubling its market share in just three months as rapid capacity expansion restores the airline’s presence across key routes.
India’s low-cost carrier lifted its domestic market share from 1.9 per cent in September 2025 to 4.3 per cent by December, driven by a 56 per cent rise in capacity during the third quarter following the induction of 16 aircraft.
The capacity surge translated into a broader network, tighter schedules and stronger passenger traction, helping the airline regain lost ground in several high-traffic markets.
Momentum has continued into the current quarter. SpiceJet doubled its available seat kilometres (ASKMs) from about 55 crore to 105 crore, marking a significant strengthening of its operational footprint. Over the full year, the airline plans to more than double capacity again, targeting 220 crore ASKs by winter 2026 and operating over 300 daily flights.
To support the expansion, SpiceJet is working to scale its fleet to around 60 aircraft through a mix of wet and damp leases, alongside the phased return of grounded planes. The airline has also signed a memorandum of understanding for the induction of 10 additional aircraft.
SpiceJet chief business officer Debojo Maharshi, said the rapid rise in market share reflected steady progress in rebuilding capacity and restoring network depth. The airline’s focus, he added, remained on improving reliability, strengthening connectivity and scaling operations in a measured and sustainable manner.
Brands
Lululemon picks former Nike executive to be its next chief
Heidi O’Neill, who helped grow Nike into a $45 billion giant, will take the top job in September
CANADA: Lululemon has found its next chief executive, and she comes with serious credentials. The athleisure giant named Heidi O’Neill as its new CEO on Wednesday, ending a search that has left the company running on interim leadership since earlier this year. O’Neill will take charge on September 8, 2026, based out of Vancouver, and will join the board on the same day.
O’Neill brings more than three decades of experience across performance apparel, footwear and sport. The bulk of that time was spent at Nike, where she was a central figure in one of corporate sport’s great growth stories, helping take the company from a $9 billion business to a $45 billion global powerhouse. She oversaw product pipelines, brand strategy and consumer connections, and played a significant role in shaping how Nike spoke to athletes around the world. Earlier in her career, she worked in marketing for the Dockers brand at Levi Strauss. She also brings boardroom experience from Spotify Technology, Hyatt Hotels and Lithia and Driveway.
The board was unequivocal in its enthusiasm. “We selected Heidi because of the breadth of her experience, her demonstrated success delivering breakthrough ideas and initiatives at scale, and her ability to be a knowledgeable change and growth agent,” said Marti Morfitt, executive chair of Lululemon’s board.
O’Neill, for her part, was bullish. “Lululemon is an iconic brand with something rare: genuine guest love, a product ethos rooted in innovation, and a global platform still in the early stages of its potential,” she said. “My job will be to accelerate product breakthroughs, deepen the brand’s cultural relevance, and unlock growth in markets around the world.”
Until she arrives, Meghan Frank and André Maestrini will continue as interim co-CEOs, before returning to their previous senior leadership roles once O’Neill steps in.
Lululemon is betting that a Nike veteran who helped build one of the world’s most powerful sports brands can do something similar for an athleisure label that has genuine love from its customers but is still chasing its full global potential. O’Neill has done it before at scale. The question now is whether she can do it again.
