Many SpiceJet flights across various airports including Delhi, Mumbai, and Srinagar were delayed up to four hours on Monday as oil companies refused to provide aviation turbine fuel (ATF) to the airline over pending dues, according to multiple industry sources.

SpiceJet’s SG 8961 Srinagar- Delhi flight was delayed by more than 2.5 hours due to the issue. Originally scheduled to depart at 12.50 p.m., the aircraft took off at 2.35 p.m. The oil company had initially refused to supply ATF but the matter was later resolved, multiple sources in the airline and at the airport told The Hindu.

The cash-strapped airline has not paid salaries to its staff since July, and many aircraft and engine lessors have dragged SpiceJet to court and sought its liquidation for defaulting on lease rentals. Last week, the DGCA placed the airline under “enhanced surveillance” in view of its “weak financial position” to ensure that flight safety was not compromised. The airline said in response to a query that the delays were due to “operational and consequential factors unrelated to fuel supply issues.”

Its Mumbai-Kandla (SG 9905) was delayed by nearly four hours. The flight was scheduled to depart from Mumbai at 12 p.m., but departed at 3.53 p.m. Other flights were Delhi- Darbhanga (SG495), which took off after a one-hour delay at 2.15 p.m., and Delhi-Patna (SG 8471) scheduled for departure at 6.55 p.m., but was delayed by more than an hour. Airport sources said that the delays seen on Monday had become a common occurrence for the airline over the past few weeks. Pilot sources complained that often their flights were hit due to fuel-related delays at both origin and destination airports leading to a cascading impact on flight operations.

Many pilots at the airline had also been turning down duties, especially on international flights, as the airline had not paid them layover allowance for more than two weeks. The layover allowance helps crew to pay for their meals. Captains get $100 and First Officers get $80 in layover allowance.

It is also learnt that last month a group of Captains threatened not to report for duty as the airline reportedly had not paid salaries for July and August, following which the airline released salaries for 11 Captains. The airline dismissed a query from The Hindu on Captains refusing to turn up for flying duties as “false”.

Meanwhile, nearly 30-40 SpiceJet employees were not allowed to checkout from a hotel on Sunday and Monday in Gurgaon due to payments pending by the airline. Checkout was permitted only after The Hindu approached the airline with the information and the payment was released. Those stuck in the hotel were ground staff brought from different parts of the country as the local staff in Delhi had gone on a strike due to non payment of salaries, said the employees.