Avoid market leader's curse: Management lessons from the Jet Airways crisis

The paradox of the civil aviation industry is that while it has emerged as one of the fastest growing industries in the country, it is notoriously known for its cut-throat competition.

Notwithstanding the bailout package that was stitched together earlier this month, the ongoing crisis at the debt-ravaged Jet Airways is a classic case of how to have avoided some of the very troubling air pockets it went through or have softened the continued blows on the airline. The lessons from this situation – of which four are most important -- are useful reminders for the troubled yet growing civil aviation industry in India.  What are these lessons?

Maintain higher standards of corporate governance: From its very early days, the airline founded by ticketing agent-turned-entrepreneur Naresh Goyal has demonstrated a lack