SpiceJet passengers stranded at Dubai airport after flight cancellations
Mumbai (PTI): Hundreds of SpiceJet passengers were stranded at the Dubai airport on Wednesday after some flights were cancelled due to to non-payment of dues by the airline to the Dubai airport authorities, according to a source.
A SpiceJet spokesperson on Thursday said few flights from Dubai to India were cancelled due to operational reasons on Wednesday but did not elaborate.
The source in the know said around 10 SpiceJet flights, which were to be operated to various Indian cities from Dubai, were cancelled due to non-payment of dues.
Hundreds of passengers were stranded at Dubai airport as a result of this, the source said.
"On July 31, 2024, a few flights from Dubai to India were cancelled due to operational reasons.
"The airline took immediate steps to mitigate the impact by rebooking affected passengers on subsequent flights and providing hotel accommodations," the airline spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added that all its scheduled flights from Dubai are now operating as planned.
Ajay Singh-promoted debt-ridden SpiceJet has been struggling for funds for quite some time now with the airline delaying salaries to its staff and payments to its vendors.
It has also reportedly not deposited the Employee Provident Fund Contributions to its 11,581 staff since January 2022.
Though the airline reported a standalone profit of Rs 119 crore in the January-March quarter of the previous fiscal, for the December quarter of the same year its losses stood at Rs 301.45 crore as against a profit of Rs 106.82 crore in FY23.
For full fiscal 2023-24, the airline posted a loss of Rs 409.43 crore against a loss of Rs 1,503 crore in FY23, the filing said.
On July 23, SpiceJet's board approved the airline's proposal to raise up to Rs 3,000 crore by issuing equity shares or other securities through the qualified institutional placement (QIP) process.
In January this year, SpiceJet received in-principle approval from the BSE for a fund infusion of Rs 2,242 crore but could mop up only Rs 1,060 crore under preferential issue in two tranches.
As on August 2 as many as 37 aircraft -- 18 Boeing 737 and 18 regional jets Q400 and one A340 -- were on ground, owing to multiple reasons, as per the aircraft fleet tracking website planespotter.net.
SpiceJet has a total of 59 planes in its fleet which include 32 Boeing737 and 24 Q400.
Besides, it also has one Airbus 340 and two Airbus A320, which are on wet-lease.
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Eight women labourers killed as truck hits tempo on Nagpur-Mumbai expressway
Jalna/Mumbai (PTI): Eight women labourers were killed, and three others were injured after a speeding truck rammed into a tempo on the Nagpur-Mumbai Expressway in Jalna district of Maharashtra on Wednesday evening, police said.
The incident occurred when a group of women was returning home after completing cleaning work on the expressway.
"A total of 11 persons, including the driver, were sitting in the tempo. As the vehicle was about to start, a speeding truck headed towards Mumbai rammed into it from behind at Kadvanchi village," a police official said, adding that seven women died on the spot and another succumbed in the Jalna government hospital.
The tempo was badly mangled, and the bodies were reportedly strewn across the road.
The deceased have been identified as Alkabai Admane (45), Laxmibai Madan (35), Meena Admane (45), Kanchan Admane (50), Tarabai Choudhari (60), Kadubai Madan (55), and Suman Admane (70), all residents of Jalna tehsil.
The identity of the eighth deceased is yet to be confirmed.
Three people are undergoing treatment at the hospital.
Police have arrested the truck driver and registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Further investigation is underway.
Expressing grief, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the death of eight people is extremely unfortunate, and announced a financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased.
Fadnavis paid heartfelt tributes to the deceased and expressed solidarity with their families.
He said in a statement the injured have been immediately admitted to hospitals and the local administration is coordinating relief efforts.
The district collector and the superintendent of police are present at the spot, overseeing the situation, the chief minister added.
Environment Minister and Jalna District Guardian Minister Pankaja Munde has expressed deep sorrow over the incident.
In a condolence message, Munde extended her sympathies to the families of the deceased.
