NEW DELHI: India’s cash-strapped SpiceJet airline, which announced the cancellation of nearly 1,900 of its domestic flights last week, sought “urgent relief” from the government yesterday as its financial woes mounted. The airline asked for the government’s financial help to ensure it is able to run its everyday operations smoothly.
SpiceJet officials met Mahesh Sharma, India’s junior civil aviation minister and “made the plea for urgent relief,” a report
in Press Trust of India news agency said.
Sharma confirmed the meeting and said no decision had yet been taken on the private airline’s request, which would be put to the prime minister’s office and the ministries of finance and petroleum.
“No assurance has been given to them,” the minister added, according to the report.
The no-frills airline, SpiceJet, is India’s second-largest carrier by passenger share. SpiceJet’s shares are down some 80 percent from the 2007 peak. AFP
