In a major relief for SpiceJet, the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has lifted the restrictions of operating at only 50% capacity. The airline will now operate at full capacity from October 30, 2022.
Officials said the airline had shown improvements during the ‘‘Enhanced Surveillance’’ period.
The DGCA had imposed restrictions on SpiceJet on July 27, 2022, for eight weeks, the restrictions were later extended until September 2022. During the curb, the airline was allowed to fly a little over 2,000 flights from the approved 4,192 flights.
The restrictions were imposed after several incidents of technical glitches were reported in the month of June and July 2022.
Due to a liquidity crunch, SpiceJet sent 80 pilots on leave without pay to cut costs post the flight restrictions. However, the airline has clarified to have hiked the salaries of pilots. Going ahead, the airline also said that the pilots would remain eligible for other employee benefits like insurance benefits and employee leave travel during the furlough period.
Meanwhile, most of the Indian airlines have announced their winter schedules from October 30, 2022.
“In the upcoming winter schedule 2022, 21,941 departures per week have been approved from 105 airports. Out of these 105 airports Deoghar, Shimla, and Rourkela are the new airports proposed by the scheduled airlines,” DGCA said in a statement.
IndiGo will operate the most flights at 10,085 followed by SpiceJet at 3,193. Air India will have 1,990 departures, Vistara - 1,941, Air Asia - 1,462, GoAir - 1,390, Alliance Air- 1,034, Akasa Air (479), Fly Big (214) and Star Air (153).
Meanwhile, insolvency appellate tribunal NCLAT has directed Jet Airways’ new owner Jalan-Kalrock consortium to pay the unpaid provident fund and gratuity dues of employees of the airline.