17 December,2014 09:03 AM IST | | Neha LM Tripathi
Cash-strapped air carrier cancelled around 11 flights on Tuesday without prior intimation, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded; police had to be called in to handle the situation
Hundreds of passengers planning to fly by SpiceJet on Tuesday morning were left stranded at the city airport, after they were told that their flights had been cancelled at the eleventh hour.
Irate passengers crowded at the SpiceJet counter after 15 flights were cancelled on Tuesday
The budget air carrier, which has close to 20 flights taking off from Mumbai airport every day, was able to operate only four flights yesterday, and their inability to adjust the grounded passengers added fuel to the fire. Angry over the unexpected cancellation, passengers caused a huge commotion at the SpiceJet counter, and nearly came to blows with the airline staff.
The local police had to be called to control the situation at the domestic terminal 1B. "The airline staff told the passengers bluntly that since only a few flights would take off, they shouldn't depend on them for any adjustments," informed an airport official, who was present at the terminal.
He added, "Many passengers had checked in as the flight schedule board displayed their flight as either boarding or delayed; none of them initially displayed that their flight was cancelled.
Thus, there was a huge crowd at the boarding area, and later at the check-in area." Officials say that the main reason for the cancellation of flights was because oil-marketing companies (OMCs) have denied fuel to the cash-strapped carrier.
Cop speak
ACP Madhukar Sankhe of the airport division told mid-day, "We were informed that the situation at the departure terminal had gone out of control, and we sent a team to calm them down.
Passengers were angry because their flights had been cancelled. No police case was filed in the matter." A SpiceJet spokesperson refused to comment on the incident.
Breather for SpiceJet
In a relief to the budget carrier, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has given suggestions to help the airline tide over the crises and keep it from shutting-down. SpiceJet has been asked to give commitment of increasing sufficient appropriate capital within a short period.
The Public Sector Oil Companies would be requested to give credit for up to 15 days. DGCA would be asked to open up the bookings of Spice Jet up to March 31, 2015.
