Bangladesh has barred budget carrier SpiceJet from using its airspace over pending dues, sources said on Thursday. The move is understood to have been taken after the airline failed to clear outstanding payments despite reminders from the authorities concerned.
Responding to the development, SpiceJet said it is working towards an early resolution of the issue. The airline did not specify the amount involved but indicated that efforts are underway to settle the dues and restore normal operations through Bangladeshi airspace at the earliest.
When contacted, a SpiceJet spokesperson on Thursday said the airline was in regular discussions with the concerned authorities on operational and procedural issues, including navigation-related charges.
“These are routine industry issues, and we are working constructively towards an early resolution. Our flight operations remain unaffected, and we continue to operate our scheduled services in line with regulatory requirements," the spokesperson said in a statement.
Sources, however, maintained that Bangladesh has barred the airline from using its airspace over non-payment of dues, though specific details regarding the nature of the outstanding payments were not immediately known.
An email sent to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) seeking a response did not receive any immediate reply.
According to data from Flightradar24.com on Thursday, SpiceJet flights operating from Kolkata to Guwahati and Imphal were avoiding Bangladesh airspace and taking longer alternate routes.
In afternoon trade, SpiceJet shares were down nearly 1 per cent at Rs 16.81 apiece on the BSE. The development comes a week after the airline reported a loss of Rs 269.27 crore for the quarter ended December 2025, citing higher costs and one-time expenses impacting its bottom line.
