SpiceJet Faces Ransomware Attack, Fliers Hit Out At Airline For Delay

Even as the airline said its IT team has rectified the situation, passengers vented out their anger on social media saying that they have been stuck at the airport.

New Delhi: Spicejet fliers on Wednesday morning complained of shoddy services as the airline was hit by a ransomware attack on Tuesday night slowing down its operation in various parts of the country. In a statement, the airline apprised fliers that the problem has been rectified and flights are functioning normally now.

Confirming the development in a tweet, the airline said, “ Certain SpiceJet systems faced an attempted ransomware attack last night that impacted and slowed down morning flight departures today. Our IT team has contained and rectified the situation and flights are operating normally now.”

Even as the airline said its IT team has rectified the situation, a passenger vented out anger through social media saying that they have been stuck for nearly four hours now. A user named Mudit Shejwar complained saying they were still stuck and sitting inside the plane without any food.

"Operating normally?? We are stuck here since 3 hrs and 45 mins? Neither cancelling nor operating, sitting in the flight not even the airport. No breakfast, no response!," he wrote and shared a video shot inside the plane.

Other fliers also slammed the carrier on micro blogging platform complaining for their service as flights across several parts of the country failed to take off.

Earlier on May 20, multiple SpiceJet aircraft were stopped from operating by Air Traffic Control at the Delhi airport as the airline hadn't made the requisite daily payment to Airport Authority of India. The AAI, which manages airports across the country, put SpiceJet on "cash and carry" mode in 2020 after its failure to clear airport dues.

Meanwhile, SpiceJet's CMD Ajay Singh in a recent communication to employees on the 17th anniversary of SpiceJet, said he hopes to start offering broadband internet connection on board the aircraft soon, according to the news agency PTI.

"The Boeing 737 Max the flagship of our fleet has successfully returned to service and earned rave reviews from passengers. Over the next few months, we will induct many more Max aircraft into our fleet with the goal to replace all our older aircraft with the Max,” CMD Ajay Singh added.