Ransomware attack disrupts SpiceJet flights

 New Delhi: Following an attempted ransomware attack on domestic air carrier SpiceJet recently, hundreds of passengers were left stranded at various airports and inside aircraft. Flight operations took a hit for about four hours after flight departures slowed down.

While SpiceJet claimed that flights had soon resumed normal operations, many passengers took to social media to slam the airline after experiencing continued delays in their flights. Many flyers complained of having waited for 6-8 hours with no information whatsoever, with the low-cost airline even refusing to provide any compensation. Does this entire affair expose cracks in our air safety?

Certain SpiceJet systems faced an attempted ransomware attack last night that impacted and slowed down morning flight departures today," the airline said in a statement.

“Our IT team has contained and rectified the situation, and flights are operating normally now," the statement said, without giving the total number of flights delayed, cancelled or diverted during the day.

On social media platform Twitter, the airline said that it cancelled flights to airports that have restrictions on night operations. “SpiceJet is in touch with experts and cybercrime authorities on the issue," it added.

However, several passengers vented their frustration after flights remained delayed throughout the day. Many expressed their displeasure at the airline for not responding to customers.

“@flyspicejet we are checked in at 5:55 am for Flight SG2950 Delhi-Varanasi today flying schedule was 6:25, passengers stuck since 2 hours, it is strange no official came from SpiceJet to clarify for the excess delay, very shameful, gross negligence," Satish Poonia, state president (Rajasthan) of Bharatiya Janta Party, said on Twitter on Wednesday morning.

“The flights are NOT operating normally! The Delhi Dharamshala flight is still stranded on the runway since 6am! I have a sick child with me, making this wait extremely difficult. There is no update on when the flight will take off or whether it will take off or not! @MoCA_India," said another passenger Prajakta Tanksale on Twitter.

“We believe strong March domestic (air passenger traffic) demand at 91% of pre-covid levels raised hopes of normalization by mid-CY22E, but record-high crude oil prices pose a threat to the nascent recovery," it said in a recent report.

On Wednesday, SpiceJet shares fell 0.91% to ₹49.25 on BSE, down from the previous day, while the benchmark Sensex closed 0.56% lower at 53,749.26.