|
|
|
Jet pilots say mortgaging jewellery to stay afloat
|
|
|
|
Top Stories |
|
|
|
|
SME Times News Bureau | 22 Mar, 2019
Beleaguered Jet Airways' pilots said on Friday they are suffering from
massive financial stress caused by non-payment of salaries for the last
three months, which has even forced some to mortgage jewellery and take
short-term loans.
The pilots said even EMI payments on car and home loans might become difficult in the present circumstance.
Pilots
said that they along with engineers and other highly critical segment
of employees have not been paid three-month salaries from January 1 and
that only 12.5 per cent of December pay has been given.
"Nearly
all of us have financial responsibilities. We fear that a sudden
collapse of the airline might be imminent. We need our dues to paid by
March 31 and a clear road map for our company," National Aviator's Guild
Vice President Captain Asim Valiani told IANS in Mumbai.
"We
have decided that either the management lets us know about the progress
of the resolution plan and the future of the company by March 31 or we
will refrain from flying duties."
A New Delhi-based pilot of the
airline, who has already applied to other airlines for recruitment,
said his financial position has become untenable since his children's
quarterly school fees are due in April.
"I am afraid I will not
be able to make the payment without mortgaging jewellery or my car,"
said the pilot who holds the rank of a co-commander.
"I have also
applied for jobs with other airlines, but given the industry's overall
financial position, it might take sometime for me to secure a stable
job."
The pilots' union NAG has appealed to the Prime Ministers'
Office and Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu for urgent intervention
As
per industry estimates, Jet's total debt of Rs 8,000 crore in addition
to payables such as vendors' dues worth Rs 15,000 crore.
Additionally,
the airline has also lost ground in terms of market shares, even as its
pilots and crew are said to be approaching other airlines for
employment.
On March 20, around 260 of Jet's pilots applied to
join SpiceJet, even as investors such as public sector banks struggle to
stitch a rescue up a plan for the airline.
"Out of the 260
pilots, 150 are senior commanders. The commonality of Boeing jets
between the two airlines is the main draw for pilots to apply in
SpiceJet," a source told IANS in Mumbai.
Jet currently has 1,900
pilots on its rolls. IANS had earlier reported that other airlines
tried to poach the airlines commanders and co-pilots, luring them with
lucrative offers with a stable monthly pay.
The apparent jostle
of pilots to get out of Jet Airways comes as the airline's lessors
offered 50 of its Boeing aircraft to SpiceJet.
Recently,
aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)
said that Jet Airways has only 41 aircraft in its fleet for operations
out of around 120 planes and that there may be further attrition in the
fleet size and flights ahead.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Customs Exchange Rates |
Currency |
Import |
Export |
US Dollar
|
66.20
|
64.50 |
UK Pound
|
87.50
|
84.65 |
Euro
|
78.25
|
75.65 |
Japanese
Yen |
58.85 |
56.85 |
As on 13 Aug, 2022 |
|
|
Daily Poll |
|
|
PM Modi's recent US visit to redefine India-US bilateral relations |
|
|
|
|
|
Commented Stories |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|