Passengers will be going through another harrowing day as the deadlock between the Jet Airways management and protesting pilots entered the second day. Jet has already sent out a list of 180 flights that have been cancelled on Wednesday.
Several flights have been cancelled till noon but flights to Europe, UK and North America remain as per schedule.
As the Jet management toughened its stand overnight, with the Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal doing some plain speak, the pilots are now looking to resolve the imbroglio.
Girish Kaushik, president of the pilots' association, left Mumbai for Delhi saying he would meet Goyal for an "amicable and legal settlement."
The Jet management has hardened its stance, sacking three more pilots. Jet Airways moved the Bombay High Court on Tuesday saying that under the Industrial Disputes Act, going on strike while conciliation proceedings are underway is prohibited.
The high court asked pilots' unions to restrain fom going on any kind of any strike. Jet management has asked the pilots to come to the negotiating table. The airline has sacked four of the striking pilots.
Air carriers like GoAir too are helping out. "GoAir on a case to case basis has been trying to accommodate the Jet Airways passengers upon request from the airline," says GoAir's spokesperson.
Kingfisher sources say they are "trying to adjust on board as many guests as possible since the cancellations are many".
Kingfisher has seen a 20-25 per cent surge in booking since Jet's strike started. Flights that were doing with 60 per cent occupancy are now going with 100 per cent booking.
Meanwhile, while the Air India is doing its best to share the passenger load, unconfirmed reports say its pilots' union has decided not to fly extra hours due to the Jet crisis.
Many senior pilots have received a mail from the Indian Commercial Pilots Association (ICPA), saying that they will not operate extra flights.
Concerned about the public inconvenience caused due to cancelled flights, the government is contemplating invoking ESMA.
Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal has told NDTV that the airline is ready to take action against pilots. He said that pilots are holding people hostage and are blackmailing.
