New Delhi: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has initiated the process of placing Spicejet under 'enhanced surveillance' status without delay.
A senior official from the DGCA has disclosed that in response to reports regarding the cancellation of flights and the financial challenges faced by Spicejet Airlines, a comprehensive audit of the airline's engineering facilities was conducted. This audit, which took place on August 7 and August 8, 2024, uncovered certain deficiencies.
Following a series of incidents reported concerning the Spicejet fleet in 2022, a special initiative of spot checks was initiated. During this initiative, Spicejet was required to demonstrate to the DGCA that all reported defects or malfunctions had been addressed before permitting the release of aircraft for operations.
In the context of the airline's financial difficulties reported in 2023, Spicejet was once again subjected to enhanced surveillance measures.
Given the airline's history and the findings of the special audit conducted in August 2024, Spicejet has been reinstated under enhanced surveillance status with immediate effect. This decision will lead to an increase in the frequency of spot checks and night surveillance operations to ensure the safety of airline operations.
According to recent reports, passengers were prevented from checking-in for their flights at Dubai airport on Thursday due to outstanding payments.
Regarding the cancellation of Spicejet flights from Dubai, the airline spokesperson stated, "Due to operational reasons, a limited number of SpiceJet flights from Dubai were cancelled. Passengers affected by this cancellation have been accommodated on subsequent flights with SpiceJet, other airlines, or have received a full refund. All our scheduled flights from Dubai are currently operating as planned."
