SpiceJet gives 3 months unpaid leave to 80 pilots

New Delhi: To cut costs, 80 pilots have been ordered to go on unpaid leave for three months. The airline is currently operating at a loss for the past 4 years. Recently, there are more than 90 planes, but only 50 of them are flying in the sky. This year, the DGCA has imposed restrictions on its flights due to mechanical problems in several of its planes that have led to emergency landings.

So the SpiceJet pilot has been asked to go on leave to compensate for the loss. After the Boeing B737 Max was retired in 2019, SpiceJet bought around 30 aircraft. In the hope that the Max plane would be allowed to fly again, the company authorities were paying the pilot. Now the company has sent 40 MAX pilots on leave as there is no chance of flying the MAX aircraft. SpiceJet managing director Ajay Singh has already announced that $20 million will be raised from the market to cover the losses.

“During the LWP (Leave Without Pay) period, pilots will be eligible for all other employee benefits such as all insurance benefits,” SpiceJet said. Even after placing some pilots on leave without pay, SpiceJet said it will have a sufficient number of pilots to operate its full schedule when the DGCA restrictions on the aircraft are lifted. Crores of rupees have been lost.