SpiceJet won’t pay pilots in April, May; plans to deploy half of its fleet in carrying cargo

MUMBAI: SpiceJetNSE 4.65 % won’t pay its pilots for April and May and aims to deploy 50% of its 82 aircraft fleet on carrying cargo.

The plans were conveyed by its chief of flight operations Gurcharan Arora to its pilots. ET has reviewed the letter.

Arora’s letter said pilots that have been operating freighter flights will get paid according to block hours flown.

The airline cut salaries by 10%-30% in March and sent some staff on rotational leave to cut costs. SpiceJet’s peers have taken similar measures as all flights operations in the country remain suspended putting all of them in a state no revenue and dimming survival prospects for some of them. Global airlines have taken harsher measures. British Airways is laying off 12,000 of its staff. Some like Virgin Australia have already filed for bankruptcy.