Mumbai: The umbrella body of domestic pilots of the cash-strapped Jet Airways on Tuesday threatened to stop flying from April 1, if the rescue plan is not in place by March 31.
The union has also said that it wants a proper road map by March 31 on clearing their overdue salaries. The threat came even as the government called an emergency meeting to resolve the issues of the air carrier that has a debt of more than $1 billion.
It is struggling to make payments to its creditors and has been forced to cancel hundreds of flights and ground most of its fleet. “Either the management lets us know the progress of the resolution plan or the future of the company by March 31, or we will refrain from flying duties,” said NAG (National Aviators Guild) Vice President Captain Asim Valiani.
Jet Airways is currently operating only 41 aircraft, a third of its original fleet. The 25-year-old airline is in talks with its lenders – state-run banks led by the State Bank of India – and its biggest shareholder, Abu Dhabi-based carrier Etihad, to secure a bail-out deal but talks have dragged on. ‘‘It is a dynamic situation and there may be further attrition in coming weeks,” the aviation regulator said in a statement.
Asserting that it is ensuring that all aircraft in the fleet are maintained in accordance with the approved maintenance programme, the DGCA said it is “continuously monitoring overall situation and based on the same, will take appropriate steps by the end of the month, if needed.”
The regulator also said that Jet’s pilots, cabin crew and ground staff, who have reported any kind of stress, should not be put on duty, and the airline should carry out regular maintenance of its aircraft, even if they are grounded.
Meanwhile, in an alarming letter to the DGCA, the Jet Airways aircraft maintenance engineers’ association has written that “it has been arduous to meet financial requirements, which has adversely affected the psychological condition of Aircraft Engineers and therefore the safety of public transport airplanes being flown by Jet Airways across India and the world is at risk.”
