SpiceJet UAE clients relieved as flights take off; holiday plans up in the air for many

Flagging Indian low cost carrier SpiceJet was granted a temporary reprieve yesterday when a deal was struck to allow planes to be refuelled for take off.

The UAE saw four flights affected, including three in Dubai and one in Sharjah; however, once the go-ahead was given, the carrier sent out a revised schedule for passengers taking off this weekend.

Passenger Kunal Bilakhia, who is booked to travel on the Sharjah-Pune flight, which has been delayed by an hour for a 1.05am take off on Friday, stated it was a huge moment of relief for him and his friends who are travelling to the Indian city for a wedding.

Speaking to Emirates 24|7, Bilakhia said: “We were definitely nervous and in the lead up to our travel day, we were constantly checking online and even had signed up for a Google alert for Spicejet.”

Bilakhia admitted that he and his seven friends travelling together for the wedding had selected this flight in particular as it offered direct services to Pune and did away with extra travel arrangements from Mumbai, which is the next closest airport.

“This is the first time I am flying with SpiceJet and I can only hope it doesn’t end up going the Kingfisher Airlines route, leaving passengers stranded,” he said.

Gaganjeet Sethi, who is also booked for the same flight, said: “Truthfully, this whole situation is a little scary. I am travelling to Pune for just four days, with my own plans made last minute as my vacation had yet to be sanctioned.

“I do not want to be in a situation that finds me stranded in a strange city with no return flight in hand.”

The two passengers, who purchased their return tickets between Dh800-Dh900, are looking at Mumbai as the next alternative to return if SpiceJet flights are grounded once again.    

On early Wednesday, SpiceJet’s entire flight network was grounded until 2.30pm UAE time, as oil companies refused to provide fuel supplies for non-payment of dues.

A day earlier, the Indian civil aviation ministry asked the oil companies and airport operators to extend a 15-day credit facility to SpiceJet in an attempt to save the airline from shutting down.

The civil aviation ministry has stated banks have been requested to give the airline a working capital loan, which needs to be paid back within eight weeks by when the airline is expected to arrange for long-term investments.
 
Parent company Sun Group head was further quoted as saying it cannot make large investment into the carrier and can do no more than provide a guarantee for a bank loan needed to keep the airline from collapsing.

The Chief Financial Officer, SL Narayanan stated: “We do not have the liquidity to invest large sums at the time which is why we need bank financing. For which the promoters are willing to provide a guarantee. We cannot do more than this.”

Sanjiv Kapoor COO, SpiceJet also took to Twitter to say: “Ministry request to banks to provide loan is not bailout - loan would be guaranteed by promoter. Banks are reluctant to lend to airlines.” 

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.