After a slew of mishaps involving SpiceJet flights over the past few weeks, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Monday, 11 July, found another aberration in one of its aircraft after it landed in Dubai.
A Spicejet B737 aircraft VT-SZK, which operated from Mangalore-Dubai, was inspected post landing, as per a statement by the DGCA. The engineer observed that the nose wheel strut (the arm which holds the front wheel, which descends while landing) of the plane was more compressed than normal.
The aircraft was subsequently grounded, and a recovery flight was ferried from Bombay to Dubai. This is the ninth such incident of malfunction of flights operated by the airline in 24 days.
SpiceJet then sent another aircraft from Mumbai to Dubai to operate the return Dubai-Madurai flight, resulting in a delay for the passengers bound for Madurai, as per DGCA officials.
On 6 July, the DGCA issued a show-cause notice to SpiceJet in connection with the degradation of the safety margins of its aircraft.
SpiceJet has failed to establish safe, efficient, and reliable air services under Aircraft Rules,1937, the DGCA said after a spate of mishaps were reported on the airline's carriers.
It further said that DGCA's audit of SpiceJet carried out in September 2021 found that component suppliers were not being paid on a regular basis, leading to a shortage of spare parts.
SpiceJet, in a statement, said it would respond to the notice within the specified time period and was committed to ensuring a safe operation for its passengers and crew.
On 5 July, a SpiceJet Q400 aircraft from Gujarat's Kandla conducted a priority landing in Mumbai after its windshield cracked mid-air, said the airline in a press statement.
SpiceJet's Occupancy Rate Remains High Despite Various Mishaps
In a statement released by SpiceJet, the airline stated that its occupancy rate, also known as passenger load factor (PLF), was above 80 percent between 1 and 11 July.
“I am grateful for the faith and trust that our passengers have shown," said Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director.
SpiceJet added, "The airline's load factor for the last eleven days continues to be extremely impressive with a PLF of 83.1 percent on 1 July, 88.2 percent on 2 July, 90.1 percent on 3 July, 86.5 percent on 4 July, 86.2 percent on 5 July, 85.8 percent on 6 July, 84.1 percent on 7 July, 84.2 percent on 8 July, 86.6 percent on 9 July, 85.1 percent on 10 July and 81.3 percent on 11 July," news agency PTI reported.
Other airlines had PLF of around 70-80 percent between 1 to 11 July, the report added, citing aviation industry sources.
(With inputs from PTI)
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