SpiceJet says has cleared employee salaries, fuel dues

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Troubled carrier SpiceJet Ltd has paid employees' salaries for November and cleared dues of fuel companies as of Friday, its chief operating officer said.

Sanjiv Kapoor met senior officials in the aviation ministry on Friday along with co-founder Ajay Singh, who sources have said is planning to team up with private-equity funds to infuse funds in to the carrier.

Money-losing SpiceJet had delayed employees' salaries for November and briefly grounded its fleet this month for want of cash. Its majority owner, billionaire Kalanithi Maran's Sun Group, has said it cannot afford a bailout.

SpiceJet has bank loans of 3 billion rupees ($47 million), Kapoor said, adding Friday's meeting was "very constructive". He did not elaborate.

 

Singh and government officials were not immediately available to comment.

($1 = 63.5575 rupees)

(Reporting by Aditi Shah; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)