Facing cash crises among many others, budget airline service SpiceJet on Thursday announced putting as many as 150 cabin crew members on furlough for a period of 90 days. This decision was made by the carrier citing the low travel season and reduced fleet size taking into account the sustainability of the brand and the organisation.

Hit legally, financially

Already hit by legal issues and financial challenges, this budget carrier is currently operating with a significantly trimmed fleet of merely 22 aircraft. This decision from SpiceJet management comes after DGCA placed it under ‘enhanced surveillance’ wherein increased spot checks and night monitoring have been inculcated to ensure the safe operation of the airline services. A special audit of the engineering facilities of SpiceJet was conducted by DGCA on August 7 and 8 during which certain loopholes were identified.

Spokesperson says…

A total of 150 cabin crew members will be sent on leave without pay for a period of three months, said an airline spokesperson on Thursday.

“SpiceJet has made the difficult decision to temporarily place 150 cabin crew members on furlough for three months. “This step has been taken in response to the current lean travel season and the reduced fleet size, with the long-term stability of the organisation in mind”, said the spokesperson.

During this period, the perks and facilities of the cabin crew staff including the medical facilities, paid leave and their status of employment shall remain intact, confirmed the spokesperson.

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“As we work toward enhancing our fleet following the upcoming qualified institutional placement (QIP), we look forward to welcoming our crew members back to active duty”, the spokesperson said.