SpiceJet's GM for airport services quits

Bhatkoti had been handling the air carrier's airport operations for North and East and had been with the carrier since 2005

Chennai-based SpiceJet's General Manager for airport services Rahul Bhatkoti has quit the carrier, giving a jolt to the crisis-ridden carrier, sources said.

"(Rahul) Bhatkoti quit the carrier some time back. However, the reason for his parting ways with the carrier are still not known," sources privy to the information told PTI.

Bhatkoti had been handling SpiceJet's airport operations for North and East and had been with the carrier since 2005, they said. Before joining Kalanithi Maran's no-frills airline, he had served erstwhile Sahara Airlines and Damania Airways.

When contacted, SpiceJet said Bhatkoti's parting ways with the carrier has come in the wake of the recent restructuring in the airline.

"Rahul's parting ways with us occurred several days back as part of our restructuring of airports and ground services," SpiceJet said in a statement.

The statement, however, added, that "the airline cannot comment whether he (Bhatkoti) quit or was let go as that is privileged information between the employer and the employee."

SpiceJet is facing fund-drought for quite sometime and has been resorting to flash sales since January to mop up cash for working capital.

Recently, it was asked by the aviation regulator to refund passengers after one of its flight was delayed by more than 5 hours.

In a first-of-its-kind action, DGCA directed SpiceJet to refund fare to all passengers of a Mumbai-Delhi flight that was delayed by about five hours last month.

The aviation regulator also asked the no-frills airline to refund the money it charged from passengers of this delayed flight by selling food and beverages, instead of offering it free in accordance with the laid-down rules.

The Boeing 737-800 aircraft (VT-SGO), carrying 172 passengers including two infants, suffered engineering problems which led the pilots to abort take off and return to the bay.