Two Boeing 737-800 aircraft of budget air carrier SpiceJet have been deregistered by the aviation watchdog – DGCA. The carrier has confirmed that the withdrawal of these aircraft will not hamper operations. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) deregistered VT-SZK and VT-SYA on March 6 and 9, respectively, according to a notice on the regulator’s website. Under the Cape Town Convention, the lessor and the lender may seek the deregistration of the leased aircraft in the event of default. Such requests are made under Irreversible De-registration and Export Request Authorization (IDERA). “While one aircraft is grounded for a long period and was to be returned earlier, the other is being returned due to some engine issues with the lessor.
Both the aircraft are being returned in the most efficient manner as agreed. “This will have no impact on our operations,” the spokesperson said in a statement on Friday.
Even though the budget airline has been grappling with several headwinds over the past several months, it on February 24 reported an increase in net profit to Rs 107 crore for the 2022 December quarter on the back of better performance in passenger and cargo. businesses. The carrier is also set to tap the Qualified Institutional Buyer (QIB) route to raise up to Rs 2,500 crore.
On 27 February, SpiceJet announced that Carlyle Aviation Partners would acquire a 7.5 per cent stake in the airline by converting outstanding dues as well as increasing the shareholding in the cargo business. The move will help the airline reduce its debt by $100 million. SpiceJet shares closed nearly 1 per cent lower at Rs 35.20 on the BSE on Friday.
