SpiceJet asks employees to be positive, to restart flights from 4 pm

Civil Aviation Ministry had yesterday said it will request the oil companies and airport operators to extend a 15-day credit facility to SpiceJet. (Express photo by Kamaal Syeed)

With the question of its survival hanging in the balance, embattled low-cost carrier SpiceJet on Wednesday morning sent an email to employees asking them to “be positive” and keep hope that its troubles will soon be sorted out.

The letter comes even as the airline hopes to restart operations from 4 pm today, after most of its flights were canceled for the second day in a row on being denied fuel uplift. Spicejet has Rs 14 crore worth of dues to oil marketing companies (OMCs), as part of Rs 1,400 crore immediate dues it needs to clear for airport charges and other vendors. Total dues stand at Rs 2,000 crores.

“Flight scheduled to depart on or after 4 pm today will operate. We apologize again for the disruptions,” Sanjiv Kapoor, COO, SpiceJet tweeted.

Incidentally, SpiceJet received a major bailout package announced by the civil aviation ministry on Tuesday, under which it got 15 days to clear Rs 200 crore dues to AAI.

The ministry also asked OMCs to give 15 days for payment and asked banks/ financial institutions to lend Rs 600 crore on a personal guarantee of SpiceJet chairman, Kalanithi Maran.

By Roudra Bhattacharya