Diwali Gift for SpiceJet: Airline to operate at full capacity from 30 October, restrictions lifted

New Delhi: Come October 30, SpiceJet will operate at full capacity as the Indian aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation, or DGCA, has revoked the 50 per cent restriction on the flights operated by the airline. After the DGCA nod, SpiceJet will be allowed to depart 3,193 flights per week in the winter schedule. “In the upcoming Winter Schedule 2022, 21,941 departures per week have been approved from 105 airports. Out of these 105 airports Deoghar, Shimla and Rourkela are the new airports proposed by the scheduled airlines,” DGCA said. Out of the total 21,941 departures, the maximum will be by IndiGo at 10,085. Air India will have 1,990 departures, Vistara (1,941), Air Asia (1,462), Go Air (1,390), Alliance Air (1,034), Akasa Air (479), Fly Big (214) and Star Air (153). 50 per cent cap on SpiceJet flights lifted. What does it mean? SpiceJet can now fly aircrafts at full capacity on all its destinations. Notably, since July this year, the airline was only allowed to fly a little over 2,000 flights from the approved 4,192. Why was 50 per cent restriction imposed on SpiceJet flights? In the first week of July this year, a slew of incidents related to technical glitches were reported in SpiceJet flights after which the carrier came under regulatory surveillance. A show cause notice was issued to SpiceJet for its failure to establish safe, efficient and reliable services after eight incidents were reported in mere one month. The airline was asked for explanation in three weeks why no action should be taken against it. On July 27, the aviation regulator had imposed restrictions on SpiceJet for eight weeks. On September 21, DGCA had extended the cap on the operating capacity of SpiceJet till October 29. DGCA orders inspection of SpiceJet’s 14 Q400 aircraft On October 18, the DGCA ordered inspections of 14 Q400 aircraft operated by SpiceJet as it made an emergency landing in Hyderabad after smoke filled its cockpit and cabin. The aircraft landed on October 12 with SpiceJet officials claiming that an accident was apparently caused after an engine oil seepage entered the flight’s air-condition system. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.