Spicejet cancels 14 flights as DGCA grounds 737 Max

TRAVELLERS HIT More flights expected to be hit today; confusion at airports

NEWDELHI: Following the grounding of Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft by Indian aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Spicejet on Wednesday said it has cancelled 14 flights and is expected to cancel more on Thursday.

Air travellers across the country were left confused as Spicejet briefly operated Boeing 737 Max 8 on Wednesday, despite aviation regulator on Tuesday night deciding to ground the fleet “immediately”. On Wednesday morning, the DGCA clarified that the airline was given time till 4pm to ground the fleet and “the time line is to cater to situations where aircraft can be positioned at maintenance facilities and international flights can reach their destinations”.

Aviation experts were left perplexed by the situation and blamed it on the poor communication by DGCA. “When France and Germany closed their airspace for B737 Max, flights had to be diverted. If Spicejet had to operate (the aircraft), they should have got aircraft back empty. This is a very poor communication by DGCA,” said Shakti Lumba, former vice-president of flight operations of Indigo.

According to source, at Delhi airport, Spicejet passengers were asked to board the plane but were later deboarded amid confusion over the fleet’s operation.

“Spicejet flight SG 8185 flying from Delhi to Pune was scheduled to depart at 8:45am. Consequent to the regulatory directive on the Boeing 737 Max, the flight was cancelled and passengers accom- Regulators in the US, where Boeing is based, remained an exception. Spicejet on Wednesday cancelled 14 flights and is expected to cancel more on Thursday

Air travellers across India were left confused as Spicejet briefly operated Boeing 737 Max on Wednesday, despite aviation regulator DGCA’S ban. On Wednesday morning, DGCA clarified the airline was given time till 4pm to ground the fleet

DGCA has instructed the concerned airlines to make sure that no sector A safety manual onboard a Jet Airways flight.

should be left uncatered owing to cancellations.