SpiceJet will send around 80 pilots on leave without pay as the airline has additional pilots. According to sources, around 40 pilots of the Boeing 737 fleet and another 40 of the Q400 fleet are planned to be sent on leave. Also, these pilots have been asked by the airline to go on leave without pay for three months.
According to the information, as new aircraft are inducted, these pilots will be called back from leave. SpiceJet plans to induct seven new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in December, according to a report in ET. However, no information has been given by the airlines regarding this issue.
Going by the report, the airline is also considering the option of wet lease aircraft till the arrival of new aircraft. However, wet-leased aircraft would not require additional pilots, as they would be operated by the crew of the lessee airline. In such a situation, the leave of these pilots can be a little longer.
The airline had around 95 aircraft in operation at the beginning of 2021, but now has 50 aircraft in the fleet. SpiceJet has gradually returned 45 aircraft to the leased organization. At the same time, some aircraft have not been operated due to maintenance and other reasons and have been kept safe. Therefore, the airline company is reducing the additional pilot and construction costs. According to ET sources, the pilots will be called back when they join the new aircraft.
SpiceJet is returning the old 737 aircraft, which it had acquired from Jet Airways. However, about four aircraft have been withdrawn so far. About 10 of its Q400 aircraft have come to a halt due to spare parts.
SpiceJet is facing stiff competition from foreign airlines and domestic airlines like Akasa Air, which are expanding one after the other. In such a situation, due to sending the pilots of the airline on leave without pay, it will be allowed to increase the salary of the existing pilots.