Covid-19: SpiceJet nullifies notice period of pilots who have resigned

MUMBAI: Low fare carrier SpiceJet is letting all pilots who have resigned go, without serving a single day of their stipulated 12 month notice period, said two people aware of the situation, joining airlines in their desperate bid to cut costs in the Coronavirus crisis.

Meanwhile, India's carriers await a possible government missive to suspend all operations, after a similar mandate came for all passengers trains in the country on Sunday.

In its letter to pilots who have quit, SpiceJet said that the "aviation industry world-over is the worst affected in this pandemic situation and this as you would understand is a global phenomenon beyond our control and not something specific to SpiceJet."


In the letter SpiceJet said it has accepted the resignation with a "reduced notice period" and accordingly the pilot's last working day would be Sunday.
SpiceJet was one of the first airlines to double the notice period of a resigning pilot to 12 months.

Other Indian carriers have taken stern measures. GoAir yesterday told employees that its top leadership would take a 50% pay cut. It has offered a leave without pay scheme to its pilots and is terminating contracts of expensive expatriate pilots. IndiGo has announced a top down 5%-25% pay cut across its staff.

Meanwhile, what started as a voluntary Janta Curfew is increasingly turning into a state of lockdown with passenger trains across the country being suspended and Section 144 being declared in several cities.