Bangladesh blocks SpiceJet

Bangladesh has banned aviation giant SpiceJet from flying in its airspace as the budget carrier is yet to  clear its pending dues.  Consequently, with Dhaka's airspace no longer available for the airline, as a result, some of the airline’s flights from Kolkata, including those to Guwahati, are now taking longer routes. Sources indicated that the restriction imposed by Bangladesh is linked to non-payment of dues,

although the exact nature of the outstanding amount could not be immediately confirmed.  According to flight tracking data from Flightradar24.com on Thursday, SpiceJet flights operating between Kolkata and the northeastern cities of Guwahati and Imphal were avoiding Bangladesh airspace and instead taking longer routes. This may increase flying time for passengers on these flights.

A spokesperson for SpiceJet said on Thursday that the airline is in regular talks with the authorities about operational and procedural matters, including charges for using the airspace.“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.

SpiceJet shares were down nearly 1 percent at Rs 16.81 on the BSE during afternoon trading. The airline has also been struggling financially.  Last week, it reported a loss of Rs 269.27 crore for the three months ending December 2025. Rising costs and one-time expenses were cited as reasons for the loss.