Over 100 flights,mostly domestic,were canceled Thursday by Kingfisher Airlines,IndiGo and SpiceJet,provoking the aviation regulator to ask the two budget carriers to explain. The regulator had showcaused Kingfisher yesterday for cancelling without warning some 80 flights over the past week. In a separate circular,the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) warned all airlines not to raise spot fares drastically. DGCA sources said they would watch all domestic carriers to check whether they were cutting corners on safety as their finances deteriorated. DGCA officials said IndiGo and Spice had cancelled at least 30 flights each today,and Kingfisher,around 50. DGCA chief E K Bharat Bhushan said the budget carriers had until Friday to repond. He clarified that both carriers had given prior notice of the cancellations. IndiGo president Aditya Ghosh confirmed having received DGCAs two-line email,but denied cancellations. Its not a show cause and I have replied to it, he said. SpiceJet and Kingfisher could not be reached for a comment. Around 100 pilots and engineers have quit Kingfisher over the last 4-5 months following erratic payment of salaries,industry sources said. The airline has grounded several aircraft and may be put on cash-and-carry mode by the operators of the Delhi and Hyderabad airports.
