India / SPICEJET's big step, 80 pilots sent on leave without salary for 3 months

New Delhi : SpiceJet on Tuesday sent around 80 pilots on leave without pay for three months. According to the report, this decision has been taken after 50 percent flight ban of SpiceJet. Although the airline did not confirm the exact number, it has issued a statement. According to the information, SpiceJet has had to take this decision after strictness from DGCA in recent days.

SpiceJet Airlines said in a statement, "SpiceJet has decided to put some pilots on leave without pay for a period of three months. It is pertinent to note that SpiceJet is not laying off any employees. The airline did not lay off employees even during the Corona epidemic. The airline is committed to its personnel regarding this."

According to sources, pilots of Boeing and Q400 fleet have been asked to go on leave without pay to reduce costs. Looking at the fiscal year-wise losses, SpiceJet has incurred a net loss of Rs 316 crore, Rs 934 crore, Rs 998 crore and Rs 1,725 ​​crore in FY19, FY20, FY21 and FY22.

The airline said in its statement that the grounding of a Boeing 737 MAX aircraft between March 2019 and November 2020, following two accidents due to a technical fault, has caused damage to the financially besieged airline.

The airline said, "SpiceJet inducted more than 30 aircraft in 2019 after the grounding of the 737 MAX aircraft. The airline continued its planned pilot induction program with the expectation that the MAX aircraft would be inducted soon. However, the prolonged grounding of Max Fleet resulted in a large number of additional pilots in SpiceJet."

However, the airline expressed hope that the situation would be resolved soon. The airline said, “We will soon induct MAX aircraft and these pilots will be back in service as soon as they are inducted. During the LWP period, it assured that all employees, including pilots, will continue to be eligible for benefits, as applicable insurance benefits. And the employee is on leave."

The airline is struggling financially. Also, on 27 July, the Director General of Civil Aviation ordered SpiceJet to operate only 50% of its flights for the next eight weeks after several air security incidents were reported.

With that deadline coming up soon, SpiceJet in its statement on Tuesday said, "Even after placing some pilots on leave without pay, SpiceJet will have sufficient number of pilots to operate its full schedule." And when the DGCA ban on flights will be lifted."