As passengers suffer, Jet tries all tricks to resolve dispute with pilots
As passengers suffer, Jet tries all tricks to resolve dispute with pilotsu00a0
For 25-year-old Elizabeth, an American student, the strike by Jet Airways pilots could well spell the end to her college dreams.
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What's on? American student Elizabeth at IGI airport after her Jet flight was cancelled. |
Elizabeth, who is in India to pursue a course in Urdu at the Lucknow University, was to fly to Lucknow by the 4 pm Jet flight to submit her college admission papers. "I have to reach Lucknow by today evening. I have to submit my papers on Wednesday. I chose air travel to save time. But now I fear, I won't be able to reach tomorrow as well," said Elizabeth, as she waited for information on her cancelled Jet flight at the Indira Gandhi International Airport on Tuesday evening.u00a0
But Elizabeth was not alone. More than 20,000 passengers from all across the country were traumatised as around 700 pilots of the biggest private airline in India went on mass sick leave from Tuesday. The pilots had threatened to go on strike from September 7, but the Regional Labour Commissioner had termed it 'illegal'. The striking pilots are demanding the reinstatement of their two colleagues, who were sacked by the airline for reportedly forming the pilots' union.
Trying all tricks
As passengers were stranded, the airline reacted sharply, trying to resolve the issue through a multi-pronged strategy.
While Jet Airways officials moved the Mumbai High Court against the striking pilots, the airline's promoter Naresh Goyal tried to garner support from the government in Delhi. Goyal met Civil Aviation secretary M Madhavan Nambiar on Tuesday. And if sources are to be believed, it was at Goyal's persuasion that the government threatened to implement the provisions of the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA). And the government also asked the DGCA to look into the matter. However, the government is refusing to back any party. Nambiar said, "We can only facilitate the issue, but it has to be sorted out between the airline management and the agitating pilots."
Later in the afternoon, the Mumbai High Court observed that the pilots should refrain from such 'illegal' activity.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday evening, Goyal told the media he was ready to talk to the striking pilots but they
should resume work first.
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Meanwhile, Jet Airways employees take a break at the airport in New Delhi on Tuesday.u00a0PICS/RAJEEV TYAGI |
Sickness is in the airOne hundred and sixty-three captains and 198 first officers of Jet Airways reported sick on Tuesday, disrupting the flight schedule. The number of pilots who reported sick represents nearly 40 per cent of the total airline pilot strength of 760.
As many as 186 flights 154 domestic and 32 international services were affected in the Jet Airways network. The airline has cancelled around 30 domestic and international flights for September 9.
