SpiceJet Put Under 'Enhanced Surveillance' Again As DGCA's Special Audit Reveals 'Certain Deficiencies'

DGCA has put SpiceJet under "enhanced surveillance" again. This would entail increase in number of spot checks/ night surveillance with a view to ensure safety of operations.

The cash-strapped SpiceJet will have to once again operate under the "enhanced surveillance' of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) with immediate effect following reports of flight cancellations and financial stress. This comes as the aviation regulator found "certain deficiencies" in a special audit conducted earlier this month. It also comes on the heels of the Dubai airport stopping passengers from boarding SpiceJet flights over non-payment of dues.

The enhanced surveillance would lead to an increase in spot checks and night surveillance of SpiceJet's operations to ensure operational safety of the airline."Based on reports of cancellation of flights and financial stress being experienced by SpiceJet, a special audit of SpiceJet engineering facilities was conducted on 7th and 8th August 2024, which has revealed certain deficiencies," the DGCA statement issued on Thursday (August 29) said.

The DGCA also listed the airline's past record, special audit as reasons for placing it under enhanced surveillance yet again. "It may be recalled that after a series of occurrences reported on the SpiceJet fleet in 2022, a special drive of spot checks was undertaken during which SpiceJet was permitted to release aircraft for operations only after confirming to DGCA that all reported defects/ malfunctions had been rectified. During the year 2023, based on reports of the airline being under financial stress, it was again placed under enhanced surveillance," the statement noted.

"In light of the past record and the special audit carried out in August 2024, SpiceJet has once again been placed under enhanced surveillance with immediate effect. This would entail increase in number of spot checks/ night surveillance with a view to ensure safety of operations," it added.

The recent incident of passengers being stopped from boarding SpiceJet flight at the Dubai airport was the second such incident of its flights from Dubai getting disrupted within a month. According to a report by news agency Reuters, SpiceJet had to operate several empty flights from Dubai as passengers weren't allowed to board. In July 2023, the airline had been reportedly placed under DGCA's enhanced surveillance due to financial issues.