SpiceJet will continue with its current operations for the next 7-10 days. This follows a day of hectic parleys with SL Narayanan, Chief Financial Officer, Sun Group, which owns the airline, and Sanjiv Kapoor, Chief Operating Officer, SpiceJet, meeting Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and others and seeking relief.

Sources said the cash-strapped airline has been asked to find funds to get its operations back to normalcy. Earlier, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma said the Government would take a decision based on the wider interest of passengers regarding SpiceJet’s request for relief.

The airline was to have submitted a recapitalisation plan by Monday and also clear dues of ₹200 crore to the Airports Authority of India, else it would have to pay upfront for its operations from Tuesday. “SpiceJet has requested for relief. We will discuss within the Ministry and put whatever decision emerges before seniors in the Government. This will be done in the interest of passengers. No commitment or assurance has been given to SpiceJet,” said Sharma.

SpiceJet’s daily departures have declined to 239 from 332 on September 1. Worried about the situation in the airline, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had put SpiceJet under ‘heightened surveillance’ last Friday and asked it not to take bookings for travel beyond 30 days. The airline was asked to come up with a reply by Monday on how it will repay its outstanding debt of ₹1,600 crore.

Sources said there is nothing new in the plan that the airline submitted to the DGCA on Monday and there is no mention of an investor who would pump in funds. The airline requires about ₹1,400 crore immediately and another ₹600 crore in the long run.

From Tuesday, the airline runs the risk of having to pay upfront to the AAI for all its flights.

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