Jet Airways: Pilots' body threatens to stop flying from April 1

Jet Airways rep Representational image | Facebook account of Jet Airways

The umbrella body of domestic pilots of crisis-hit Jet Airways on Tuesday evening threatened to stop flying from April 1 unless there is clarity on the resolution process and salary dues by the end of this month.

As problems mount at Jet Airways, the National Aviators Guild (NAG) also expressed hope that a resolution plan would be reached by month-end. The guild, which came into being almost a decade ago, represents around 1,135 Jet Airways pilots of Indian nationality, according to its website.

"If there is no proper clarity on the resolution process and salary payments, by March 31, we will stop flying from April 1," the guild said in a statement.

The decision was taken at the annual meeting of the NAG in Mumbai that went on for more than 90 minutes. More than 200 pilots marched to the Jet Airways headquarters in Mumbai after the meeting, which was held at a nearby hotel.

NAG president Karan Chopra said the grouping would be informing the Jet Airways management of their decision. "As far as the dues are concerned, we have been paid only 12.5 per cent of December salary and rest 87.5 per cent is yet to be paid, while full salary of January and February has not been paid till now," he said.

Chopra also said that from the management side, the information that NAG has on the resolution plan is that a potential investor is in talks with Jet Airways. "We are very hopeful that the (agreement on) resolution plan will be reached by this month itself. If that happens, we will be passing on the information to our members. There is no strike; no notice has been served. We will just be informing management that the pilots will not be flying," he added.

Having failed to get any assurance from the Jet Airways management on salaries, the guild, last week, had written to Union Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar, seeking his intervention.