SpiceJet flies empty from Dubai as passengers denied check-in due to unpaid dues: Report

Adding to disruptions caused by SpiceJet, the low budget carrier had to operate empty flights from Dubai as passengers were not allowed to check in due to the airline's unpaid airport dues, The Hindu reported on Thursday. This is the latest case in the long list of troubles for SpiceJet, which has struggled to fully restore operations despite multiple fundraises over the last year.

The alleged disruption comes after a similar case was reported on August 2 where some SpiceJet flights in Dubai had been cancelled due to non-payment of dues, with the company citing "operational reasons" for the cancellations, reported PTI.

A senior official at India's Ministry of Civil Aviation told The Hindu that they were "monitoring SpiceJet."


A SpiceJet spokesperson said the cancellations were "due to operational issues" and affected passengers were accommodated on subsequent SpiceJet flights, on other airlines or provided with a full refund.

After the disruption, all scheduled flights from Dubai were now operating as planned, said spokesperson.

SpiceJet's troubled finances:
Some of SpiceJet's lessors took it to court to settle unpaid dues and also requested that India's aviation regulator de-register their planes. This led to the airline's planes being grounded, and has weighed on its results including in the first quarter.

Earlier this month, SpiceJet said it reached a settlement with Mumbai airport over "a minor financial matter," hours after the airport in a now deleted post on social media platform X warned of temporary disruptions to the airline's operations.

Budget carrier SpiceJet Ltd reported 20% decline in its consolidated net profit at Rs 158 crore in the first quarter ended June 2024. The same stood at Rs 198 crore in the last year period.

Revenue from operations in the reporting period fell 15% year-on-year to Rs 1,708 crore as against Rs 2,003 crore in the same period of previous year.

(with agency inputs)