SpiceJet did not pay employees for 4 months: Report
What's the story
SpiceJet, one of India's leading airlines, is facing a major financial crisis. Employees across various departments have alleged that their salaries for May, June, July, and August are still pending, as per CNBC-TV18. The situation has led to widespread operational disruptions within the airline. A ground staff member at Delhi Airport said this was the fourth time they had gone without pay since 2014.
Flight issues
Flights delayed by several hours
The financial woes of SpiceJet have also resulted in major operational disruptions.
A review of FlightRadar24 data by CNBC-TV18 revealed several flights from Delhi were delayed by hours over the last three days.
For instance, on September 6, the Delhi-Patna flight SG2473 took off at 11:19pm instead of its scheduled time at 7:00pm, over four hours late.
Continued disruptions
Last-minute cancellations reported
The operational disruptions at SpiceJet continued on September 7 as well.
Flight SG162 from Delhi to Mumbai took off at 1:08am, over five hours late from its scheduled departure time of 7:55pm.
Another flight SG2473 from Delhi to Patna took off at 8:25pm instead of its scheduled time at 7:00pm.
Last-minute cancellations were also reported for several SpiceJet flights while passengers waited at the airport.
Effect
Fuel suppliers demand upfront payments
SpiceJet's operational fleet has also taken a hit, with only 11 aircraft left.
This has further limited the airline's ability to deal with disruptions and shortages.
There are also reports of payment-related issues affecting operations, including claims that fuel suppliers are asking for upfront payments from the airline before refueling its aircraft.