Over 1,000 pilots of the struggling private carrier Jet Airways have decided to go ahead with their “no flying” call from April 1 following the airline failing to receive funds from the banks , its pilots guild has reportedly said.
The airline said in a statement that every effort was being made to restore normalcy of operations.
The National Aviators Guild, the body claiming representation of some 1,100 pilots at Jet Airways, had last week announced its decision not to fly from April 1 if their pending salaries were not cleared and clarity on the revival plan not provided by March 31.
Days after that, the airline’s ownership went into the hands of SBI-led consortium of banks under a debt-recast plan.
“A part of the expected interim funding from SBI was supposed to be actioned on March 29. Unfortunately, the fund transfer has not taken place, and there is also no update on salary payment from the management. The collective decision of pilots taken at Mumbai and Delhi open house effective 1 April prevails,” NAG president Karan Chopra said in a late evening communication to his members.
Jet Airways pilots along with engineers and senior management have not been paid for about four months now.