New Delhi, India: SpiceJet, one of India’s leading low-cost carriers, has once again delayed salary payments for a significant portion of its workforce, According to the report by PTI senior employees who are earning above ₹55,000 per month are affected. While junior staff reportedly received their August salaries on time, senior employees, including Assistant Managers and above, are facing delays of up to 15 days, according to company sources.
The airline has cited a “phased disbursement schedule” as the reason for the delay, stating that payments for higher-earning employees are staggered during lean periods.
The delays affect a substantial number of employees, with the airline employing 6,484 staff, of whom 4,894 are permanent employees. Reports suggest that the salary delays predominantly impact employees in managerial and senior technical roles. These delays come at a time when the airline is navigating financial pressures, including a net loss of ₹238 crore reported in the June quarter of 2025.
During 2024-25, SpiceJet provided an interest-free advance to Ajay Singh, who is the Chairman and Managing Director, an amount of Rs 32 crore for a five-year period in accordance with the Nomination and Remuneration Committee and board-approved policy of the company, as per the annual report. “The company has adjusted the advance from the salary of subsequent months (April and May 2025), as per the company’s policy. Further, this advance is not prejudicial to the interest of the company,” the report said.
The Airline said that losses are mainly due to costs linked to several grounded aircrafts and expenses for bringing them back into service. It has only 21 aircraft operational out of 56 and 35 grounded.
Employees impacted by the delayed payments have expressed concerns over financial planning, especially as the delayed salaries coincide with ongoing personal and household obligations. While junior employees received their payments on schedule, the staggered payments for senior staff have raised questions about employee morale and retention.
Last September, the airline raised ₹3,000 crore through a Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP), with plans to use the funds to operationalize grounded aircraft, purchase new planes, invest in technology, and enter new markets. Despite these intentions, progress has been slow, and a substantial number of aircraft remain grounded.
