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India’s Aviation Regulator Scrutinises SpiceJet Operations & Finances Amid Cash Crisis

India’s Low-Cost Carrier SpiceJet Faces Scrutiny Amid Financial And Operational Pressure

Aviation Today News Desk / September 23, 2026

New Delhi, India: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is carrying out operational and financial scrutiny of SpiceJet, Civil

Airlines

India’s CCPA Penalises SpiceJet US$1,140 For Dark Patterns In Flight Booking Process

Aviation Today News Desk / July 18, 2026

New Delhi, India: The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of ₹1 lakh (US$1,160) on SpiceJet Limited

New Delhi, India: Thousands of aviation employees at SpiceJet, including a significant number of pilots, continue to face salary delays stretching back several months as the financially troubled airline seeks emergency government-backed funding to stabilize operations and restore cash flow. According to internal communications reviewed by Reuters, many SpiceJet pilots have not received full salary payments since March 2026, highlighting the severity of the airline's ongoing liquidity challenges. The issue has sparked growing concerns among employees, some of whom reportedly struggle to meet daily expenses and financial commitments. SpiceJet employed approximately 375 pilots as of March 2026, and internal discussions reviewed by Reuters indicate that salary payments have remained pending for several months for many of them. Communications from a pilots' WhatsApp group involving more than 180 members revealed growing frustration over delayed wages. In one message dated May 26, SpiceJet's Senior Vice President of Flight Operations, Virendra Malhotra, acknowledged the difficulties faced by employees due to delayed salary disbursements and indicated that the remaining portion of February salaries would be released shortly. Pilots subsequently sought clarity regarding payments for March, April, and May salaries, which remained outstanding at the time. Several employees reportedly stated that delayed payments had created financial hardship, forcing some to seek assistance from family members and friends to manage essential expenses. SpiceJet acknowledged that salary disbursements had been delayed but stated that employee payments were being released in phases. According to the airline, a majority of employees had already received March salaries, while efforts continued to clear outstanding dues. The carrier maintained that employee payments remained a priority and that all obligations would be honored. As it attempts to navigate the crisis, SpiceJet is actively pursuing funding under India's Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS). The government-backed program allows eligible airlines to access seven-year guaranteed loans of up to ₹1,500 crore ($157.2 million USD). Reports also indicate that SpiceJet has sought additional funding of approximately ₹2,000 crore ($210 million USD) under the scheme as it attempts to strengthen liquidity and support day-to-day operations. The airline said it expects business conditions to normalize over the coming months and described the funding effort as part of broader measures aimed at restoring operational stability. SpiceJet's current financial stress stems from a combination of long-term and recent challenges. The airline was India's second-largest domestic carrier in 2019, commanding roughly 15% of the market. However, its market share has since declined dramatically to approximately 3.4%, placing it fourth among Indian airlines.. The airline has reported annual losses almost every year since 2019, with the exception of FY2024-25, when it posted a small profit largely driven by one-time gains from settlements with aircraft lessors. SpiceJet currently operates an active fleet of approximately 21 aircraft. The carrier declined scheduled flights from 4,494 flights in January 2026 to 3,053 flights in May 2026, according to aviation analytics firm OAG. The airline's financial struggles have also weighed heavily on investor confidence, with its share price reportedly falling around 60% during 2026. At least two aircraft lessors have reportedly issued payment default notices to the airline this year, reflecting continuing concerns about its financial position. Despite the challenges, SpiceJet has taken steps to expand available capacity. The airline recently returned a Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to commercial service and finalized lease arrangements for three Airbus A320 aircraft scheduled to join the fleet in July. Management says the additional aircraft are intended to help meet passenger demand and support operational recovery.

Airlines

SpiceJet Employees Face Months Of Salary Delays As Airline Seeks Emergency Funding

Aviation Today News Desk / June 12, 2026

New Delhi, India: Thousands of aviation employees at SpiceJet, including a significant number of pilots, continue to face salary delays

India

Air India, IndiGo And SpiceJet Issue ATF Price SOS To Govt, Warn Of Shutdown Risk

Aviation Today News Desk / April 29, 2026

New Delhi, India: India’s aviation sector has issued a fresh urgent appeal to the Centre seeking immediate intervention on aviation

Pune, India: Flight operations at Pune Airport were temporarily suspended late Friday night after an Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft was involved in a hard landing incident that rendered the runway unusable for several hours, before authorities restored operations early Saturday morning following emergency repair work. The disruption began at approximately 10:25-11:00 PM on April 17, when an IAF fighter aircraft experienced a “hard landing” during arrival. A senior IAF officer said the exact cause of the incident would be established only after a formal court of inquiry. Given Pune Airport operates a single runway under a dual civil-military use model, the incident resulted in an immediate and complete suspension of both arrivals and departures. As per the Airport Director, IndiGo cancelled 31 arrivals and 34 departures, while Air India cancelled three arrivals and three departures. SpiceJet called off two arrivals and three departures, and Akasa Air cancelled two arrivals and three departures. Air India Express also reported five arrivals and five departures being cancelled. Authorities have not officially disclosed the exact aircraft type involved in the incident. However, it has been consistently identified as an IAF fighter aircraft across reports. The aircrew onboard were confirmed safe, with no injuries reported. Officials also confirmed that there was no damage to civilian property or airport infrastructure beyond the runway obstruction. The runway was declared temporarily unavailable late Friday night. All take-offs and landings were halted, affecting numerous scheduled night flights. Airlines were alerted, and multiple flights were cancelled, delayed, or diverted due to the closure. Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol confirmed the disruption and estimated that runway restoration would take around five hours. The Indian Air Force, in its official communication, stated, “Pune runway is temporarily unavailable due to an incident involving an IAF aircraft. The aircrew are safe and there is no damage to civil property. Efforts are underway to operationalise the runway and resume normal operations at the earliest.” Minister Mohol added, “Thankfully, the aircrew are safe and there has been no damage to civil property… it may take approximately 5 hours to restore normal runway operations.” Following the incident, airport authorities and the IAF initiated rapid recovery and inspection work “on a war footing” to clear the runway and ensure safety compliance. Authorities confirmed that all necessary safety checks were completed before reopening the airport to commercial traffic. Officials have not released a confirmed cause, and a detailed investigation is underway.

Incidents

IAF Aircraft Hard Landing Shuts Pune Airport; Operations Resume After Disruption

Aviation Today News Desk / April 18, 2026

Pune, India: Flight operations at Pune Airport were temporarily suspended late Friday night after an Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft

New Delhi, India: A ground collision between two commercial aircraft operated by SpiceJet and Akasa Air at Indira Gandhi International Airport has prompted a regulatory investigation, after both planes sustained damage during taxi operations on Thursday afternoon. The incident occurred at approximately 2:15 PM at Terminal 1, involving a SpiceJet Boeing 737-700 (VT-SLB) arriving from Leh and an Akasa Air Boeing 737 MAX 8 scheduled to operate flight QP1406 from Delhi to Hyderabad. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the SpiceJet aircraft was taxiing into its designated parking bay after landing when its right winglet struck the left horizontal stabiliser (tail section) of the Akasa aircraft. The Akasa aircraft had already been pushed back from its bay and was positioned for engine start, effectively stationary at the time of impact. Preliminary findings indicate that the SpiceJet aircraft had been cleared by air traffic control to taxi toward bay No. 106 after confirming separation from the Akasa aircraft. However, during the manoeuvre, the aircraft reportedly executed a turn without wing walker clearance, leading to contact between the two planes. Flight tracking data and initial reports suggest the SpiceJet jet was pulling into the gate, while the Akasa aircraft was in pushback or preparing to taxi out for departure. The collision resulted in visible structural damage to both aircraft: SpiceJet: Right winglet damaged Akasa Air: Left-hand horizontal stabiliser damaged The winglet of the SpiceJet aircraft briefly lodged into the Akasa aircraft’s tail section following impact. No injuries were reported. All passengers and crew onboard the Akasa aircraft were safely disembarked, and the airline arranged alternate travel for passengers bound for Hyderabad SpiceJet described the incident as a “ground occurrence while taxiing”, confirming that its aircraft has been withdrawn from service pending checks. Akasa Air stated that its aircraft was stationary when the contact occurred, and confirmed that all standard safety protocols were followed after the incident. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has launched a detailed investigation into the incident. The probe will examine ground handling procedures, ATC instructions, aircraft separation standards, and taxi coordination protocols.

Incidents

SpiceJet Jet Hits Stationary Akasa Aircraft At Delhi Airport, DGCA Orders Probe

Aviation Today News Desk / April 17, 2026

New Delhi, India: A ground collision between two commercial aircraft operated by SpiceJet and Akasa Air at Indira Gandhi International

SpiceJet

SpiceJet Warns Of Collapse Amid $17M Court Battle And Mounting Debt Pressure Crisis

Aviation Today News Desk / April 15, 2026

Gurugram, India: India’s low-cost carrier SpiceJet has told the Delhi High Court that it faces a serious risk of operational

India

India Sees 11 Airline Exits Since 2016 Amid Financial Stress, Structural Challenges

Aviation Today News Desk / April 4, 2026

New Delhi, India: At least 11 airlines have exited India’s aviation sector since 2016, the government informed Parliament, focusing on

India

Govt Puts 60% No-Fee Seat Selection Rule On Hold Amid Airline Revenue Concerns

Aviation Today News Desk / April 3, 2026

New Delhi, India: The Ministry of Civil Aviation has placed on hold its directive requiring airlines to offer at least

India

Govt Removes Fare Caps As Airlines Oppose 60% Seats Free Of Selection Charges

Aviation Today News Desk / March 24, 2026

New Delhi, India: A policy push by the government to strengthen passenger rights and enforce fare transparency has triggered sharp

spicejet

India’s Low-Cost Carrier SpiceJet Faces Scrutiny Amid Financial And Operational Pressure

SpiceJet Employees Face Months Of Salary Delays As Airline Seeks Emergency Funding

Air India, IndiGo And SpiceJet Issue ATF Price SOS To Govt, Warn Of Shutdown Risk

IAF Aircraft Hard Landing Shuts Pune Airport; Operations Resume After Disruption

SpiceJet Jet Hits Stationary Akasa Aircraft At Delhi Airport, DGCA Orders Probe

Govt Puts 60% No-Fee Seat Selection Rule On Hold Amid Airline Revenue Concerns

Govt Removes Fare Caps As Airlines Oppose 60% Seats Free Of Selection Charges

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