Jet Airways Pilots To Stick To Roster Hours From March 1; Ops To Be Hit

Jet Airways' operations are likely to be hit from next month with its pilots' union NAG deciding to adhere to the duty roster from March 1 over non-payment of salaries, the union sources said on Monday.

Members of the National Aviator's Guild will not fly over and above roster hours from March 1, they said.

The Jet Airways management was not immediately available for a comment on the development.

However, earlier in the day, Jet Airways, a listed entity, had told the stock exchanges it is working out a "mutually acceptable" arrangement to ensure that it becomes current on salary overdues.

The airline has been delaying salaries to its pilots along with engineers and senior management since last August.

"The union had a con-call with the management today evening over our salary dues. Though it said it will pay the balance 25 per cent of our November salary and another 12.5 per cent from December salary, it did not give any commitment on when will it clear the rest dues. It was not acceptable to us," said a union source.

"Therefore, we have decided not to cooperate with the management any more. We will strictly adhere to the duty roster and will not accept the last-minute changes in the schedule," the source said.

"This will have a direct bearing on the flight operations," he added.

He, however, clarified the pilots will not ground any aircraft.

The leading private airline had said it is talking to its key stakeholders to resolve the issue.

"We wish to state that the company is in dialogue with its key stakeholders, to enlist their full support and cooperation," the airline had said in a clarification to the stock exchanges.

In doing so, the company is also apprising them of the challenges faced by the company, it said, adding, "It is 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 March 1 if the management did not give a clarity on salary payment by February 25.

The Naresh Goyal-founded carrier has 1,600 pilots, of which over 1,100 are unionised and represented by the NAG.