The formerly-grounded full-service carrier Jet Airways readies to take to the sky in the coming six months. Here are all the updates. By Bayar Jain
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Grounded in 2019, and subsequently undergoing proceedings under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), the once full-service carrier Jet Airways is hopeful of flying once again. According to several media reports referring to a report by PTI, Jalan-Kalrock consortium—the winning bidder for this defunct airline—expects to restart operations in the next few months. This ray of hope, however, is dependent upon approvals by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for its resolution plan.
The winning consortium’s lead member, Murari Lala Jalan, reportedly told the media that the revival works are going as per plan. To begin with, Jet Airways aims at deploying a mix of 25 narrow-body and wide-body aircrafts. Passenger services are expected to be the first ones to restart, however, overseas journeys may have to wait as they require additional logistics and permissions to be vetted. Additionally, Jalan has reportedly taken stock of a month- or two-month-long delay, citing it as no big deal. Having said that, the winning bidder claims to be “on track,” state several media reports.
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Justifying Jet Airways’ relaunch during the aviation industry’s global financial distress, the consortium reportedly sees this as an advantageous time, economically. Jalan notes that, currently, the prices of inputs required to restart are low, whereas later, when the airlines begin operations, the pricing will reach normalcy.
With regards to destinations, the consortium reportedly hopes to ferry people from places like Ranchi and Patna. International destinations like Singapore, Thailand, or Hong Kong will reportedly be added based on consumer response. Notably, earlier in December 2020, the consortium stated that the Jet 2.0 hubs will be stationed at New Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, while sub-hubs will be created in tier two and tier three cities over time. However, specific details about the airline’s business plans have not been disclosed yet, state reports.
