No-frills carrier SpiceJet on Tuesday said that it will implement up to 30 per cent pay cut for its employees. This will be barring the lowest pay grades for the month of March. Ajay Singh, CMD, Spicejet will take the highest salary cut. The airline, however, has assured that there will be no job losses.
In a bid to tide over the Covid-19 pandemic, SpiceJet on Tuesday announced a company-wide pay cut for its employees for the month of March. “The airline has implemented a 10-30 per cent pay cut for all its employees across top- and mid-rung levels. SpiceJet has, however, assured that its employees in the lowest pay grades will remain unaffected by the decision. In the wake of the crisis, the airline’s Chairman and Managing Director, Ajay Singh, has decided to opt for the highest cut of 30 per cent in salary,” Spicejet said in a statement.
Due to the lockdown, SpiceJet has been forced to announce ‘leave without pay’ for employees during March 25-31 – the period of the lockdown when all passenger flights were suspended. “However, employees who have been actively working during this period like our cargo, ground staff, crew who have flown during this time will not be affected by the ‘leave without pay’ and their salaries for this period will be reimbursed,” it said.
The bold measures are in the best interest for everybody at SpiceJet as it aims to sail through the crisis with zero retrenchment.
Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet, said, “The Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown have forced us to take some tough measures to ensure that no one at SpiceJet is retrenched. What we are facing is a global phenomenon and no airline in the world is immune to the impact. ”
India’s aviation industry is seeking help from the government to mitigate the financial impact of the pandemic. Several airline companies, both in India and abroad, have been forced to undertake severe measures in their attempt to survive amidst tough market conditions.
SpiceJet operates 600 average daily flights to 63 destinations, including 54 domestic and 9 international ones. The airline has a fleet of 82 Boeing 737, two Airbus A320, 32 Bombardier Q-400s and five B737 freighters and is the country’s largest regional player operating 49 daily flights under UDAN or the Regional Connectivity Scheme. The majority of the airline’s fleet offers SpiceMax, the most spacious economy class seating in India.
The airline also operates a dedicated air cargo service under the brand name SpiceXpress, offering safe, on-time, efficient and seamless cargo connectivity across India and on international routes.