SpiceJet Says Will Send 80 Pilots To Go On Leave Without Pay For 3 Months. Here’s Why

Mumbai: Low-cost airline SpiceJet on Tuesday said it will send around 80 pilots on Leave Without Pay as the airline finds itself with excess pilots. Sources close to the development told Economic Times that that around 40 pilots from the Boeing 737 fleet and another 40 from the Q400 fleet- which the airline operates on regional routes have been asked to go on Leave Without Pay for three months.Also Read – Did You Know About SpiceJet’s ‘SpiceLock’ Feature That Helps You Lock Desired Fare For 48 Hours?

However, these pilots will again be called back as the airline deploys new aircraft into its fleet. Moreover, the airline also plans to add seven new Boeing 737 Max starting in December. Also Read – DGCA Lifts Restrictions, Allows Breath Analyser Test For Pilots, Cabin Crew From Oct 15

Apart from this, the airline said it is also planning to wet lease aircraft till the time the new aircraft come in. However, wet-leased aircraft will not need more pilots as they are operated by the crew of the lessor airline. Also Read – Viral Video: SpiceJet Air Hostess Grooves To Honey Singh’s Alcoholic, Killer Expressions Win The Internet | Watch

Sources further told ET that at the beginning of 2021, the airline had around 95 aircraft, but the fleet is now down to 50 aircraft as the airline has returned many planes back to lessor, while some are down due to lack of spares and maintenance issue.

They also stated that it makes no sense to have excess pilot and build up cost for the company but the pilots will be called back as and when new aircraft join.

At present, SpiceJet said it is returning older 737 aircraft which it inducted from Jet Airways while lessors have repossesed around four aircraft. It must be noted that nearly 10 of its Q400 aircraft have been grounded due to lack of spares.

The sources further added that rationalising the cost by sending them on Leave Without Pay will allow the airline to increase salary of existing pilots. The move from the airline comes as SpiceJet is facing stiff competition from foreign airlines and domestic airlines like Akasa Air who are on a path of expansion.

Akasa Air, which was recently launched, has hiked salary of pilots by an average of 60 percent as it prepares to deploy 13 more aircraft in next five months. On the otherh, SpiceJet had slashed the salary of pilots and at present, a majority of them are getting their salary almost 15 days late.