Jet Airways pilots urge PM Modi to save 22,000 odd jobs

New Delhi : Deferring their no-fly call, the Jet Airways pilots on Monday appealed the State Bank of India to release Rs 1500 crore proposed to be infused last month; the NAG also appealed Prime Minister Narendra Modi to step in and  save the airlines and 20,000 odd jobs.

"We would like to appeal SBI to release Rs 1,500 crore funds for the airline to help it continue operations. We also appeal Prime Minister Narendra Modi to save 20,000 odd jobs at the airline," NAG's vice president Adim Valiani told reporters at the airline's headquarter, Siroya Centre, in Mumbai.

Under crisis, Jet Airways is left with only 6-7 operating flights.

The airline's pilots, engineers and other employees gathered outside the party headquarters earlier on Monday to show solidarity to support the Jet Airways. The employees were last paid in December 2018.

The Monday meeting between Jet's management and the SBI-led consortium is expected to take a final decision on the quantum of funds to be injected in the carrier with immediate effect to avert a possible shut down.

The no-fly call by the pilots has also been deferred till Monday.

The Guild, which has around 1,100 pilots as its members, had decided to stop flying from April 15 in protest against non-payment of salaries since March.

"It has come to our notice that there is a critical meeting planned tomorrow (Monday) morning with the airline management and SBI. In light of the meeting, the members have requested, through their team leaders, that the call of 'No Pay No Work' be deferred to give the airline a chance of survival. Accordingly, as requested, the Committee would like to inform all that the decision stands deferred for the time being," the Guild committee said in a late evening communication to its members.