JetLite pilots threaten to quit unless seniority maintained in integration with Jet

Jet Airways has begun the process of integrating pilots of LCC subsidiary JetLite with itself but close to 250 of these pilots have been put in a quandary. JetLite will eventually be shuttered and therefore Jet Airways has asked these pilots to apply for positions in its fleet. Here’s the catch though: the hours they logged for JetLite will not be taken into account while calculating their total experience. In others words, though Jet Airways says their seniority etc will be maintained, the pilots of ill-fated JetLite are sure to suffer a career loss.

Top management of Jet, including CEO designate Cramer Ball and COO Hamid Ali today met JetLite pilots. Our sources tell us the pilots have made it clear that unless their seniority is maintained, they will look for greener pastures. “Today JetLite’s senior most pilot is being asked to join Jet below their junior most pilot. Which simply implies that a pilot with 40 years of aviation experience and 25,000 hours of flying would be junior to a co-Pilot who is literally learning how to adjust his seat in the flight deck,” sources said.

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They also alleged that the JetLite pilots are being asked to change their flying base and that there will be a reduction in their current salary and HR benefits as per the new contract.

These sources also said only 60-70 very senior JetLite pilots need to be accommodated while integration happens with Jet Airways, not all 250.

In a communication to JetLite pilots dated 19 August, the Jet management had said “…the selected pilots shall be placed at the bottom of the 9W (code for Jet Airways) APL within the relevant grade. Irrespective of the above, as far as 9W APL is concerned, the S2 (JetLite) pilots would have deemed to join services of 9W on August 19, 2014. S2 pilots who would be moving to 9W will maintain their current S2 inter se seniority irrespective of their joining 9W services”. The letter further said that the trainer status and applicable benefits of cockpit crew as applicable in S2 will not be carried to 9W.

JetLite has been bleeding its parent for years. As of March 2014, it posted significantly higher losses than the previous fiscal and auditors warned of a negative networth. JetLite’s losses stood at almost Rs 430 crore as of March this year, up from Rs 295 crore in the previous fiscal. Till March, JetLite had an all Boeing fleet of 12 aircraft, comprising 5 Boeing 737-700, 5 Boeing 737-800 and 2 Boeing 737-900 ER aircraft. Sources said fleet has now shrunk to just 10 aircraft.

Jet Airways’ Chairman Naresh Goyal recently said that he plans to withdraw from the LCC space. There has been speculation about him wanting to eventually sell off JetLite but the airline has never confirmed its plans to sell the subsidiary.

Some aviation industry watchers say it is possible that Jet would offer the SOP (scheduled operating permit) of JetLite to a potential buyer but minus the aircraft and crew. Why would anyone want to buy JetLite’s SOP only? Well, this loss making subsidiary of Jet has the permission to fly overseas and this may attract a potential buyer, specially any new entrant which wants to quickly fly overseas without having to wait for the five year deadline which current rules impose on new carriers.

But meanwhile, it is the ATR and pilots of other aircraft currently under S2 who must either forego all their experience on JetLite fleet or look for alternative employment.