Jet sacking issue mishandled: Goyal

New Delhi, Nov 22 (UNI) Jet Airways Chairman Naresh Goyal today admitted that the sacking of Jet employees last month was ''mishandled'' by the management, but said the issue was blown out of proportion by the media.

''If my mother had been alive, she would not have approved it,'' Mr Goyal said, replying to a question at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit.

He reiterated that there was no political interference, no political compulsion to take back the sacked employees.

''That is the decision I made, and I live with that decision,'' he added.

He said 1,900 employees were not sacked, only 820 who were trainees were asked to go.

''But this was mishandled. One should have spoken to them,'' he admitted. ''Then I took the decision (to reinstate them)... There is something called the heart.'' He said the remaining 1,100 were not given letters.

He blamed the media for giving the wrong number of 1,900.

He said about 1,900 employees were taken as the airline had to expand and induct more planes.

''We had excessive staff. we still have excessive staff. We will be able to fix it by cutting overtime and by reducing cost,'' he added.

UNI YJ MP UCS1822