Flight services of cash-strapped SpiceJet were grounded this morning due to the oil companies refusing fuel supplies to the carrier for non-payment even as the airlines said it will resume operations by this evening. Not even a single SpiceJet flight could take off since this morning due to fuel supply issue with the oil companies.

However, COO Sanjiv Kapoor tweeted, "Flights scheduled to depart on or after 4pm today will operate. We apologise again for the disruptions."

The Civil Aviation Ministry had yesterday said it will request the oil companies and the airport operators to extend a 15-day credit facility to SpiceJet in a bid to save the airline from shutting down.

The Aviation Ministry had said it may request Indian banks/financial institutions to extended loans of upto Rs 600 crore to the airline as part of measures to keep the carrier functional. Besides, it will also request the Finance Ministry to permit external commercial borrowing (ECB) for working capital as special dispensation.

Former Jitender Bhargava tweets: Rs 14 crore dues shouldn't lead to disruption @SKapoorSpiceJet: @flyspicejet dues to oil cos 14cr; spend 3000cr+/yr on fuel,have never defaulted.