SpiceJet cancels 14 flights for Wednesday as DGCA grounds Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft

SpiceJet has presently announced the cancellation of 14 flights for today and will be operating additional flights from tomorrow.
For representational purposes (File | PTI)
For representational purposes (File | PTI)

NEW DELHI: Following the grounding of Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft by Indian aviation watchdog DGCA, SpiceJet Wednesday said it has cancelled 14 flights and will be operating additional flights from Thursday.

The airline has around 12 such aircraft in its fleet. SpiceJet has presently announced the cancellation of 14 flights for today and will be operating additional flights from tomorrow.

The aviation watchdog has issued a statement, saying no Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft would be allowed to fly in Indian airspace from 4 pm.

The Civil Aviation Ministry will hold a meeting with the airlines at 4 pm Wednesday to prepare a contingency plan as a number of flights have been cancelled because of the grounding of the 737 Max 8 aircraft, said a senior government official.

SpiceJet said Wednesday, "While a majority of passengers affected as a result of these cancellations have been accommodated by SpiceJet on alternate flights, rest have been offered a full-refund."

"Safety and security of our passengers, crew and operations are of utmost importance to us and we are closely working with the regulator and manufacturer to resolve the matter," it added.

The incident on Sunday was second such crash involving the 737 Max 8 aircraft in less than five months.

In October last year, an aircraft operated by Lion Air crashed killing over 180 people in Indonesia.

The European Union and many other countries across the world have already banned the use of 737 Max 8 aircraft in their respective airspace.

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