Working out mutually acceptable arrangement on salary dues, says crisis-hit Jet Airways

Mumbai: Crisis-hit Jet Airways Monday said it was working out a “mutually acceptable” arrangement regarding salary dues. Salary payments have been delayed for many employees, including pilots. The airline management had promised to clear salary dues of its pilots by March. “We wish to state that the company is in dialogue with its key stakeholders to enlist their full support and cooperation,” the airline said in a filing to the stock exchanges. In doing so, the company is also apprising them of the challenges faced by the company, it added. Further, Jet Airways said it was “working out a mutually acceptable arrangement to ensure that the company becomes current on its salary overdues”. Last week, a section of pilots had reportedly warned the airline of non-cooperation from 1 March if the management did not give clarity on salary payment. [caption id=“attachment_5554021” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters.[/caption] More than 1,100 pilots of the airline are represented by the National Aviator’s Guild (NAG). On 7 December, the company had agreed to pay all dues by April and make the payment current from then onwards under a revised staggered payment schedule. Jet Airways has a debt of nearly Rs 8,000 crore and needs to make repayments of up to Rs 1,700 crore by the end of next month. In the three months ended December 2018, the airline reported its fourth consecutive quarterly net loss of Rs 732 crore. The airline has defaulted on a payment of the principal and interest to the consortium of the domestic banks as well as to lessors, among others. The lessors have forced it to ground at least six aircraft due to non-payment. “An additional two aircraft have been grounded due to non-payment of amounts outstanding to lessors under their respective lease agreements. The company is actively engaged with all its aircraft lessors and regularly provides them with updates on the efforts undertaken by the company to improve its liquidity,” Jet Airways said in a regulatory filing on Saturday. On 7 February, it had grounded four planes for similar reasons. On 14 February, Jet Airways board approved a Bank-Led Provisional Resolution Plan (BLPRP), whereby lenders would become the largest shareholders in the airline. Its shareholders have also approved conversion of loan into shares and other proposals during the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) last Thursday.