A delegation of Shiv Sena MPs and Jet Airways’ employees met Civil Aviation Minister and Finance Minister on Monday seeking revival of the airline. Jet shut operations in April 17 leaving over 14,000 employees in lurch.
“The closure of Jet Airways has led to loss of jobs. The airline had large international network and now foreign airlines are main beneficiaries of Jet’s closure. This is also a revenue loss to the government,” said Santosh Chalke, general secretary of Shiv Sena’s labour unit Bharatiya Kamagar Sena. The delegation gave a representation to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Puri, seeking intervention to revive the airline. Jet’s aircraft have been taken over by lessors and its airport slots given temporarily to other airlines. Over thousand Jet employees have been absorbed by rival airlines. Lenders continue to search for investors and have requested the civil aviation ministry to preserve the airline’s slots and traffic rights with a hope of a revival.