Jet Airways pilots strike continues, further cancellations announced

Jet Airways announced (10-Sep-09) the cancellation of additional services today, related to the disruption caused by pilot members of the National Aviators Guild (NAG). A total of 163 pilots and 198 first officers have reported sick, representing 40% of the carrier's pilots and causing 260 flight cancellations on 10-Sep-09, including 174 domestic services, and 186 flight cancellations on 09-Sep-09, including 154 domestic services. [more] Jet Airways CCO, Sudheer Raghavan, stated domestic bookings are down from an average 23,000 passengers per day to 14,000, while international bookings are down from an average 10,500 per day to 9,500, as a result of the pilots action (Bloomberg, 09-Sep-09).

Jet Airways: " They are behaving like terrorists. They cannot hold the country, passengers and the airline hostage. I am open to meeting and talking to the pilots. I will be more than happy to meet them. But they cannot harass the passengers. We won't tolerate such blackmail. The livelihood of more than 30,000 employees of Jet Airways is at stake. This is pure and simple contempt of court," Naresh Goyal, Chairman. Source: The Economic Times, 09-Sep-09.

National Aviators Guild: "We just want our voice back in the company. We want back our two colleagues who were sacked. It is not due to us. We are trying to bring the situation back to normal," Gireesh Kaushik, President. Source: Press Trust of India, 09-Sep-09.