Jet maintenance engineers voice safety concerns, govt to hold emergency meeting

Minister for Civil Aviation Suresh Prabhu said on Tuesday that he has directed Secretary at the Civil Aviation Ministry P S Kharola to hold an emergency meeting to assess the impact of Jet Airways grounding nearly half of its fleet.

The development came the airline's aircraft maintenance engineer's welfare association wrote to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), voicing safety concerns and the fact that they have not been paid their salaries for three months.

"It has been arduous for us to meet our financial requirements, the result of which has adversely affected the psychological condition of aircraft engineers at work. Therefore the safety of public transport air planes being flown by Jet Airways across India and the world is at risk," Jet Aircraft Engineers Welfare Association (JAMEWA) in a letter to the DGCA.

On Monday, the beleaguered carrier said that it has grounded four more aircraft and cancelled all flights to Abu Dhabi.

"While the senior management is finding a resolution to be in business, we the engineers who inspect, troubleshoot and certify the public transport air planes for its airworthiness are in tremendous stress due to non-payment of salaries on time since the last seven months. As of now, three month's of salary is overdue to us," the statement added.

Facing the worst financial crisis of its 25-year existence, the airline has grounded about half its 120-aircraft fleet, cancelled dozens of flights, delayed salaries and defaulted on loan and other payments.

Meanwhile, Prabhu said the ministry will examine issues like advance bookings, cancellations, refunds and safety issues.

Kharola will also get a report from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on compliances by Jet Airways.

On Monday, the company informed stock exchanges that it is actively engaged with all its aircraft lessors and regularly provides them with updates on the efforts undertaken to improve its liquidity. The lessors have been supportive of the company's efforts in this regard.

Jet also said it is also making all efforts to minimise disruption to its network and proactively informing and re-accommodating its passengers. The company provides required and periodic updates to the DGCA in this regard.

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