Airline SpiceJet has decided to put around 80 pilots on leave without pay for a period of three months as a temporary measure to rationalize costs.
A SpiceJet spokesperson said, “This measure, which is in line with SpiceJet’s policy of not laying off any employees, which the airline has consistently followed during the peak of the COVID pandemic, reduces the pilot strength vis–vis the aircraft fleet.” Will help rationalize.”
In 2019, SpiceJet inducted over 30 aircraft after the grounding of 737 MAX aircraft. The airline continued its planned pilot induction program in the hope that the Max would be back in service soon. However, the prolonged grounding of the MAX fleet resulted in a large number of additional pilots in SpiceJet.
“We will soon be inducting MAX aircraft and these pilots will be back in service as soon as they are inducted. During the LWP period, the pilots will be eligible for all other employee benefits,” the spokesperson said.
The airline said that even after placing some pilots on leave without pay, SpiceJet will have sufficient number of pilots to operate its entire program once the DGCA restrictions on flights are lifted.
SpiceJet had earlier reported a net loss of Rs 789 crore (excluding forex adjustment) for the quarter ended June 30, 2022, as compared to a net loss of Rs 729 crore for the quarter ended June 30, 2021. was affected.
Aviation regulator DGCA in late July ordered SpiceJet to operate only 50 per cent of its flights for eight weeks.
