New Delhi, Jul 28, 2022, IANS

New Delhi, July 28 (IANS) A day after the aviation regulator's order on restriction on the number of flights, budget carrier Spicejet on Thursday said that all its planes departed on time, as per schedule and there were no flight cancellations.

The airline said that it had already rescheduled its flight operations due to the current lean travel season. "There has been absolutely no impact on our schedule following Wednesday's order by the regulator. This has been possible as SpiceJet, like other airlines, had already rescheduled its flight operations due to the current lean travel season," said the airline spokesperson.

"We would like to once again reassure our passengers and travel partners that our flights will operate as per schedule in the coming days and weeks. SpiceJet is confident of scaling up its operations and addressing any concern the regulator may have on priority," said the airline.

Aviation regulator DGCA on Wednesday ordered SpiceJet airline to operate only 50 per cent of its flights for eight weeks.

"In view of findings of various spot checks, inspections and the reply to the show cause notice submitted by SpiceJet, for continued sustenance of safe and reliable air transport service, the number of departures of SpiceJet are restricted to 50 per cent of the number of departures approved under Summer schedule 2022 for a period of eight weeks," said the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in an order. During these eight weeks, the airline would be subjected to "enhanced surveillance" by the DGCA.

The regulator had said "Any increase in the number of departures beyond 50 per cent" would be subject to the airline "demonstrating to the satisfaction of DGCA that it has sufficient technical support and financial resource to safely and efficiently undertake such enhanced capacity", said the order.