Sr execs, pilots & cabin crew leave Jet Airways amid relaunch uncertainty

With continuing uncertainty over Jet Airways' future, at least two senior executives as well as some pilots and cabin crew have quit the airline, according to sources.

Jalan Kalrock consortium emerged as the winning bidder for Jet Airways under the insolvency resolution process in June 2021 but the carrier is yet to start operations.

The sources close to the development said the Vice Presidents of Engineering and Human Resources have left the airline.

Some pilots and cabin crew have also left the airline. Besides, some senior-level executives have gone on Leave Without Pay (LWP), the sources said.

Details about the current employee strength at the airline could not be immediately ascertained.

A senior executive at the airline said the upside potential of a revived Jet Airways is tremendous for all stakeholders and customers.

A Jet Airways spokesperson declined to comment.

Earlier, the carrier had reduced salaries for various staff and send many employees on LWP amid uncertainty over its future course.

In October, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) directed the consortium to pay the unpaid provident fund and gratuity dues of employees of the carrier.

Against that backdrop, the consortium, on November 18, said it might take "difficult" near-term decisions to manage cash flows.

"... while we await the handover of the company as per the NCLT process, the longer-than-expected time being taken for the same may result in some difficult but necessary near-term decisions to manage our cashflows to secure the future, while the airline is still not in our possession," it had said.

-B