Jet Airways pilots, top brass to meet on salary delays

Mumbai: Pilots of Jet Airways (India) Ltd will meet the airline management on 26 November to discuss issues such as delay in payment of salaries, said a union member. “On 26 November, a consulting team from the management and from the union will meet in Mumbai to discuss among various issues, the salary delays,” the union member, who has worked with Jet for over two decades, said on condition of anonymity. The pilots will be represented by their union, National Aviator’s Guild (NAG).

Jet Airways, which had a 14.2% share of the domestic aviation market in September, needs to urgently raise cash to stay afloat as costly fuel and a weak rupee have eroded its financial health. The Tata Group is seen to be interested in buying a controlling stake in the airline.

Some Jet pilots and senior executives were paid only 75% of their September salary, and are yet to be paid full salary for October.

“Yes; pilots are not happy because at the end of the day, we all want our salaries,” said another senior pilot, also a member of NAG adding, “We are, however, supporting the airline and its chairman in its turnaround plan and don’t want to be catalysts to bring the airline down.”

The first pilot Mint spoke to said that the airline’s pilots, who have been patient and haven’t arm-twisted the management despite the circumstances, have no plans to agitate for salary delays in future.

“The priority of the union is to make sure that the management finds a suitable buyer or finds cash infusion to turn around the airline,” the pilot added.

A Jet Airways spokesperson said that a “lot of other issues” apart from the salary delays are generally discussed in meetings between the union representatives and management.