SpiceJet blames bad weather for Kochi flight disruptions. Airport calls out airline

The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) on Saturday dismissed SpiceJet's claim that bad weather affected the airline's operations at the airport, saying there were no adverse weather conditions that caused major flight disruptions. It also accused the airline of spreading misinformation about flight operations through one of its social media advisories.

In a statement, the airport operator said no other airline operating from Kochi had reported cancellations due to adverse weather conditions during the same period. CIAL also highlighted persistent operational issues faced by SpiceJet, including with its international services, which it said had caused considerable inconvenience and uncertainty for passengers.

“At a time when the airline is yet to satisfactorily address the concerns of affected passengers, SpiceJet has issued a social media communication spreading misinformation by attributing the disruption to bad weather at Kochi. However, there were no adverse weather conditions at Kochi warranting the disruption cited in the communication,” the statement read.

“Despite the continuing passenger grievances, the issues have not been adequately addressed or rectified by the airline and have continued to worsen over the past few days. CIAL, on its part, as a responsible airport operator, has made maximum efforts to assist the affected passengers and provide necessary support and solace to them,” it further added.

The controversy erupted following a SpiceJet advisory on social media warning passengers that “all departures/arrivals and their consequential flights might be affected” due to bad weather in Kochi. The airline asked passengers to check their flight status before travelling.

SpiceJet later clarified that the advisory was issued as a precautionary measure and was not an announcement of any cancellation or suspension of operations.

Speaking to India Today, a SpiceJet spokesperson said the airline issues such advisories to keep passengers and travel partners informed about developments that could potentially affect their travel and give them adequate time to plan.

The spokesperson said the advisory was intended to help passengers make necessary arrangements in advance in view of the prevailing weather conditions.

“We regret any misunderstanding that may have arisen from the advisory,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson clarified that no SpiceJet flights from Kochi were cancelled and that the airline operated both its scheduled daily departures to Fujairah and Dubai the previous day.