DGCA Lifts 50% Restriction On SpiceJet, Effective From 30 Oct

Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has lifted the 50 per cent ban on SpiceJet flights which will be effective from 30 October.

After lifting the ban, SpiceJet will be able to fly 100 per cent of its scheduled flights from 30 October. The DGCA has granted permission for SpiceJet to operate 3,193 flight departures per week under the winter schedule, starting on 30 October to 25 March 2023.

This year 6.6 per cent more flights were permitted for the winter schedule than the previous year. 

Earlier, on 21 September, the civil aviation regulator, DGCA extended SpiceJet's operating capacity cap until 29 October.

On 27 July, after a series of incidents related to technical issues, the DGCA placed the airline under regulatory scrutiny and also issued an order limiting the number of flights. Under the order, the airline may fly only 50 per cent of its summer schedule for an eight-week period. As a result, SpiceJet was limited to a weekly maximum of 2,096 flight departures.

In its July inspection, the DGCA found weak internal safety monitoring and insufficient maintenance which compelled the regulatory body to take action against the airline. Also, irregular payment to suppliers led to a shortage of spare parts for SpiceJet. 

After a SpiceJet Q400 plane made an emergency landing at Hyderabad airport on 12 October after smoke was spotted in the cabin, DGCA ordered the airline to send engine oil samples to Pratt & Whitney Canada to determine the presence of metal and carbon seal particles on every 15 days rather than 30 days. SpiceJet currently operates 14 Q400 aircraft.

The airline is also suffering from a cash crunch and reported a net loss of 789 crores for the first quarter in FY 2022-23 as the business was adversely impacted by record high fuel prices and a sinking rupee.