Jet Airways seeks DGCA's support to end crisis

New Delhi, Sep 8 (ANI): After 400 of its pilot reported sick, Jet Airways on Tuesday sought the Directorate General of Civil Aviation's (DGCA) intervention into the crisis.

Earlier, issuing a press statement after 130 flights of Jet Airways were cancelled as a large chunk of pilots failed to report for work protesting against the sacking of two of their colleagues, Jet Airways says that the pilots strike would be deemed illegal as per the Industrial Disputes Act.

"The Regional Labour Commissioner had categorically stated that any strike by pilots would be deemed illegal. This organised activity is a planned sabotage of operations that will damage the airline's operations and inconvenience the travelling public," the statement added.

Meanwhile, Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal met Civil Aviation Secretary Madhavan Nambiar this morning for about half-an-hour and discussed the situation.

Ministry officials said the government was closely monitoring the situation.

Mumbai was the worst hit with 115 flights out of the total 345 failing to take off while at least ten flights of Jet Airways and its subsidiary JetLite were cancelled in Delhi.

In Chennai, six flights were cancelled, including three international flight, and four in Kolkata. However, the morning flight of the private carrier from Kolkata for Dhaka took off as scheduled.

Jet Airways had terminated last month the services of two of its seniormost pilots, saying their services were not required after both formed a trade union body within the company.

A conciliatory meeting was called on August 31 between the Jet Airways management and the union, which claims to have representation of over 650 pilots. Jet Airways has 1000 pilots on its rolls.

While the National Aviators Guild (NAG) has decided not to go on the proposed strike, its members have decided on an alternate course of protest like going on mass casual leave to hamper operations of the private carrier. (ANI)