SpiceJet, MDLR Airlines back out of Aug 18 strike

SpiceJet has pulled out of proposed airlines strike on August. The airlines will operate as usual on the day.

The development followed soon after regional player MDLR Airlines became the third private carrier on Sunday to announce that it will not join other airlines in suspending flights on August 18.

MDLR Airlines COO and ED Koustav M Dhar, in a writing to the Federation of India Airlines (FIA), said the strike was "no solution" to the problems of the aviation industry.

"We strongly believe that causing inconvenience to passengers by a strike is no solution to the impending problems of the Indian civil aviation (Industry) and the same should be discussed maturely with all airline representatives together with Minister of Civil Aviation," he added.

"MDLR Airlines would operate their flights as usual on August 18," Dhar said in his letter to FIA Secretary General Anil Baijal.

Dhar also said his airline would remain neutral to the issue between the industry and the government as it was never invited by the FIA to be a part of the association.

He also said MDLR will address the Ministry of Civil Aviation separately in its own capacity.

MDLR's decision came a day after another private carrier IndiGo decided to stay away from the proposed one-day strike on August 18.

Backing out from the strike called by private airlines on August 18, Indigo Airlines had declared that will operate normal services on the day.

Indigo had said that all private airlines should talk the civil aviation ministry over the issue.

Earlier on Saturday, the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) made it clear that those airlines which cancelled flights on August 18 would have to refund passengers immediately for tickets paid for in cash.

Eight major private airlines, which carry over one-lakh passengers a day, had decided not to operate domestic flights on August 18. The airlines say they are on the verge of bankruptcy and want a bailout from the government.