Suresh Prabhu calls for review of issues related to Jet Airways; says will protect rights, safety of passengers

New Delhi: Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu has called for a review of issues related to struggling Jet Airways, including rising fares and flight cancellations. Prabhu has also asked civil aviation secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola to take necessary steps to protect the rights and safety of passengers.

Directed Secretary @MoCA_GoI to review issues related to Jet Airways, especially increasing fares, flight cancellations etc. Asked him to take necessary steps to protect passenger rights and safety; and to work with all stakeholders for their well being.

— Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) April 16, 2019

Jet Airways is grappling with acute financial crunch and is operating less than 10 planes besides temporarily suspending international operations. “Directed secretary @MoCA_GoI to review issues related to Jet Airways, especially increasing fares, flight cancellations etc,” Prabhu said in a tweet on Tuesday. [caption id=“attachment_94955” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters.[/caption] Besides asking the secretary to take necessary steps to protect passenger rights and safety, Prabhu has called for working with all stakeholders for their well-being. This is the second time in less than a week that Prabhu has publicly said he has called for a review of issues related to Jet Airways. On Monday, lenders did not take a final decision on providing emergency funds to the cash-strapped carrier. The airline’s board is meeting in Mumbai on Tuesday. In afternoon trade, shares of the airline declined 3.59 percent to Rs 252.40 apiece on the BSE. Jet Airways is operating around seven planes, including six turbo propelled ones used for shorter hauls. It had 123 aircraft in operation in December. “As you are aware, we have been working with the lenders to secure interim funding for our operations. The interim funding has not been forthcoming thus far, and as a result we have extended cancellation of international operations until 18 April,” the airline’s CEO Vinay Dube said in an internal communication on Monday. On 25 March, the airline’s board approved the debt resolution plan, under which SBI-led consortium would provide an emergency loan of Rs 1,500 crore and also take control of the carrier.