Fliers avoid SpiceJet amid safety concerns due to series of security lapses: Survey
Premium- 44% fliers are currently steering clear of India’s third-biggest airline due to safety concerns, LocalCircles survey showed
A new survey has said that passengers have begun steering clear of SpiceJet flights in the wake of a series of mid-air safety failures being reported by the cash-strapped airline for which it has been summoned by authorities to explain the lapses. A survey conducted by LocalCircles of more than 21,000 fliers, showed that 44% fliers are currently steering clear of India’s third-biggest airline due to safety concerns versus 21% who are avoiding Air India Ltd. and IndiGo and 18% for Go First. While nearly 37% of respondents have said they are not avoiding any particular airline.
The LocalCircles survey further noted that around 46% of passengers believe the worsening balance sheets of Indian airlines has lead to the inadequate maintenance of fleets. The fliers said that its the top reason behind degrading safety standards, with nearly 18% of fliers noting that the ineffective oversight by the regulator may also be the likely cause for the current situation.
A Bloomberg report highlighted that losing passengers over incidents involving technical glitches would be a major setback for SpiceJet, which has relinquished its second-highest market share to Go First. Any fallout could further upset SpiceJet’s deteriorating financial health, as the airline has suffered losses for the last three fiscal years and its shares have plunged 43% this year, making it the worst airline stock in Asia, the report said.
Meanwhile, the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation on Wednesday said SpiceJet failed to build “safe, efficient and reliable" services and gave the airline three weeks to explain why action shouldn’t be taken against it. While on July 6, SpiceJet released a statement stating that it was "committed to ensuring a safe operation" for its passengers and crew and would respond to the investigation within the time frame specified. The statement came a day after three SpiceJet flights on separate flight routes experienced technical difficulties, drawing a Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) notice. Notably, on July 5, mechanical issues plagued three SpiceJet flights - the one from Delhi to Dubai, the one from Kandla in Gujarat to Mumbai, and the freighter trip from Kolkata to Chongqing in China.
(With inputs from Bloomberg)