Dubai airport operator stops SpiceJet check-in over non-payment of around ₹35.85 crore

Dubai Airports, which owns and operates Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport, has stopped cash-strapped SpiceJet’s check-in services over non-payment of around 14 million UAE dirhams (approximately ₹35.85 crore), even as the airline said it is working to resolve the issue without specifying it.

On November 12, four flights to Amritsar, Jaipur, Mumbai and Delhi were cancelled, with an internal airline communication citing non-payment to the ground-handling company dnata. The communication added that the four flights would operate as ferry services without passengers.

Dubai Airports allowed check-in for SpiceJet flights to Ahmedabad and Delhi before the suspension took effect on November 12. The airline’s station manager subsequently instructed its flight operations team to cancel other departures from Dubai until the issue was resolved.

People aware of the matter said Dubai Airports emailed SpiceJet on November 12 that it had not received payment since October 13 and that the outstanding amount had reached AED 14 million. Dubai Airports cited continued non-compliance with payment terms and said it would suspend check-in services to avoid further financial exposure.

A SpiceJet spokesperson said the airline is resolving the matter with the concerned authorities. “We have adequate bank guarantee cover in place and are working to ensure that the issue is sorted out at the earliest.”

SpiceJet has been facing mounting financial and operational difficulties and its fleet has shrunk to around 12 aircraft, of which only nine were operational, Mint reported on November 12. Its domestic market share fell to 0.6% in September, from 3.9% in January. It carried around 73,000 domestic passengers in September, compared with nearly 592,000 in January.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) data showed that SpiceJet cancelled 20.29% of its scheduled flights in September. Its on-time performance at major airports fell to 16.6%. The carrier has struggled to clear supplier dues. ₹63.03 crore owed to small businesses remained unpaid beyond the stipulated 45-day period during April-September 2026, according to its regulatory filings.