Bangladesh skies closed for SpiceJet: Here's why airline is barred by Dhaka

Bangladesh has banned aviation giant SpiceJet from flying in its airspace as the budget carrier is yet to pay its pending dues. Consequently, with Dhaka's airspace no longer available for the airline, some services originating from Kolkata, including flights to Guwahati, are being operated via longer routings.On Thursday, a SpiceJet spokesperson told PTI that the airline was maintaining regular engagement with the concerned authorities regarding operational and procedural matters, 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, cited by the agency. 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. In the stock market, shares of SpiceJet were trading nearly 1% lower at Rs 16.81 apiece on the BSE during afternoon trade. Last week, the airline reported a loss of Rs 269.27 crore for the quarter ended December 2025, as higher costs and one-time expenses weighed on its financials.