Delhi-Nashik SpiceJet Flight Returns Midway Due To ‘Autopilot’ Snag, Lands Safely

On July 27, the aviation safety regulator DGCA had also ordered the SpiceJet to operate a maximum of 50 per cent of its flights for eight weeks.

Representational Image

Source : Getty Images

New Delhi: A SpiceJet flight that took off from Indira Gandhi International Airport here this morning for Nashik returned midway to the city due to an “autopilot” snag, an official from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said, reported news agency PTI. The Boeing 737 aircraft landed safely, the official added. 

“SpiceJet B737 aircraft VT-SLP, operating flight SG-8363 (Delhi-Nashik) on Thursday was involved in an air turnback due to an autopilot snag,” the official said.

The commercial flight carrier is facing financial difficulties amid high fuel prices and depreciating rupee.

SpiceJet flight that took off for Nashik in Maharashtra from IGI Airport in New Delhi returns midway to Delhi this morning due to 'autopilot' snag: DGCA official

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 1, 2022

On Wednesday, the aviation regulator deregistered two Boeing 737 aircrafts of SpiceJet following non-payment of dues to lessors. Boeing ​737-800 aircraft VT-SPU and Boeing 737-900ER aircraft VT-SGQ have been deregistered under IDERA on August 31, according to a senior official at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Earlier, four planes of the aviation company were already deregistered by the DGCA taking the total number to six. 

The same day, SpiceJet reported a net loss of Rupees 789 crore for the three months ended June. 

Today’s incident comes close on the heels of the flight carrier getting a show-cause notice from the DGCA following a series of technical snags in its flights. On July 27, the aviation safety regulator had also ordered the airline to operate a maximum of 50 per cent of its flights for eight weeks.

The company is facing internal issues as well as the employees on Wednesday alleged that there had been a delay in disbursal of salaries for a second straight month, with the budget airline saying that it made the payments in a graded format. 

There was a delay in disbursal of salary for staff, including flight crew, for the month of July and many are yet to get the Form 16 for the financial year 2021-22 as well, SpiceJet employees claimed.

"The salary disbursal was timely for June. Also, the salaries are yet to match the pre-COVID-19 levels. The salaries being disbursed to captains and first officers are not even 50 per cent of what they used to be before the pandemic outbreak in March 2020," an employee told PTI.

However, SpiceJet claimed it has started salary disbursal in a "graded format".

"We have started crediting salaries from today. Like the previous month, salary will be credited in a graded format," the airline said in a statement to the news agency.