SpiceJet’s financial and operational situation has come under closer government scrutiny as the budget airline continues to face cash-flow pressures. The Civil Aviation Ministry and aviation regulator DGCA are monitoring the carrier’s finances and operations, with authorities seeking to ensure that the airline’s financial difficulties do not affect flight operations or passenger safety.
“The ministry, through DGCA, is conducting operational and financial scrutiny of SpiceJet, with safety remaining the priority. The government is engaging with the airline but said intervention is limited as SpiceJet is a private carrier,” Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said.
“Rs 150 crore has already been extended to SpiceJet under ECLGS, amid the West Asia crisis,” he added.
The Minister said the Ministry of Civil Aviation continues to engage with SpiceJet and examine how it can facilitate matters. However, he pointed to limits on government intervention in private airlines.
“For the future, we are continuously engaging with the airline and examining how best the Ministry can facilitate matters. But these are private airlines, and there are limits to what the government can do,” he said.
The minister’s comments come months after Reuters reported that SpiceJet was seeking government funding after delaying salary payments to pilots.
On the disbursement of a further Rs 350 crore, the minister said the government had made the scheme available, but obtaining the funds was a matter for the company and the lender.
“The remaining amount is something the organisation and the bank have to work out. The scheme is in place; they need to obtain the funds,” he said.
The minister further added that the next phase of UDAN could support the entry of new airlines and help existing operators strengthen their operations.
Once India’s second-largest domestic carrier by market share in 2019, SpiceJet has faced declining market share, higher fuel costs and intense competition.
SpiceJet’s Finances, Operations Under Government Watch As Cash Flow Woes Deepen
