Friday, January 09, 2015

Rescue plan for India's SpiceJet seen by end of Jan - sources

New Delhi:  A package to bail out Indian airline SpiceJet Ltd could be finalised as early as this month, two sources with direct knowledge of the deal told Reuters, raising the prospect of a last-minute rescue for the indebted carrier.

SpiceJet, India's second largest budget airline, was forced to ground its fleet briefly last month after it ran out of cash to pay creditors and its majority owner, billionaire Kalanithi Maran's Sun Group, said it would not put up any more money.

Two days later, SpiceJet co-founder Ajay Singh said he was working on a financial plan with U.S. private equity investors, under which the current owners would sell their stake and fresh capital would be injected into the airline.

Singh and his partners this week handed the government a more detailed plan, and a package could be ready as early as the end of January once due diligence is completed, a senior civil aviation ministry official and a source close to the situation said. Both individuals spoke on the condition of anonymity.
09/01/15 Reuters
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