SpiceJet delaying salary payments to sizable number of employees: Source

Mumbai, Sep 14 (PTI) Budget carrier SpiceJet has been delaying salary payments to a sizable number of its employees for the past few months, according to a source.

SpiceJet employees drawing a salary of up to Rs 55,000 per month have received payment for August, while the rest of the staff has not been paid yet.

"SpiceJet has once again started delaying salary payments to its staff. While employees drawing up to Rs 55,000 per month are getting payments on time, the rest of the staff, mostly Assistant Managers and above level, are getting payments with a delay of 10-15 days," the source said.

SpiceJet did not respond to a query sent on this issue.

The Gurugram-based SpiceJet had a total of 6,484 employees, including 4,894 permanent ones, according to its annual report for FY25.

During 2024-25, SpiceJet provided an interest-free advance to Ajay Singh, who is the Chairman and Managing Director, an amount of Rs 32 crore for a five-year period in accordance with the Nomination and Remuneration Committee and board-approved policy of the company, as per the annual report.

"The company has adjusted the advance from the salary of subsequent months (April and May 2025), as per the company's policy.

Further, this advance is not prejudicial to the interest of the company," the report said.

The airline reported a net loss of Rs 238-crore in the June quarter this year.

SpiceJet had 18 aircraft in operations, as on September 13, out of the total fleet of 53 planes, as per fleet tracking website Planespotter.com.

This is despite the fact that in the last one year the carrier has announced its plans thrice to expand its fleet, each time by at least 10 planes.

At the end of July last year, SpiceJet had 18 operational aircraft and 38 on ground of the total 56 planes in the fleet.

Last year in September, at the time of raising Rs 3,000 crore via QIP, the airline had said "the newly raised capital will be used to operationalise grounded aircraft, acquire new planes, invest in technology, and expand into new markets." PTI IAS RAM DRR