Oil companies are denying fuel to Jet Airways over non-payment of bills. The situation mirrors the financial crunch faced by SpiceJet in 2014-15.
New Delhi: Jet Airways today is mirroring SpiceJet's situation in 2014-15 when the latter was facing acute financial crunch. According to sources, oil companies have started denying fuel supply to Jet Airways over non-payment of previous bills.
Various flights have been delayed from the New Delhi airport as a result of this. Fuel supply was stopped for almost one hour and was supplied only after Jet Airways assured the oil companies that bills would be paid.
In 2014, SpiceJet had faced a similar issue when oil companies had stopped fuel supply over non-payment of dues. Later, the ministry of civil aviation intervened and SpiceJet got a 15-day extension for the payment.
SpiceJet was not able to operate flights from anywhere after oil companies refused to give them fuel. Passengers were furious at various airports after they were told that their flights had been cancelled.
Now, if the problem with Jet Airways continues, it will impact the operations of the company and that will help other airlines grab prime slots at various airports. The ministry of civil aviation has so far not taken any decision on giving prime slots to other airlines. But if Jet Airways fails to operate aircraft in the next 10 days, most of the prime slots may be given to other airlines.
Also read: Jet Airways set to lose prime flight slots
According to media reports, Jet Airways is right now operating 26 planes, including 15 aircraft in the domestic sector. Jet Airways earlier had over 100 planes in their fleet which have now been grounded due to acute financial crunch. On Tuesday, Jet disclosed that it has grounded 15 more aircraft due to non-payment of lease rentals.
The founder of Jet airways Naresh Goyal and his wife had recently stepped down from their posts in the wake of the financial crunch.
"In order to absolutely ensure that they emerge unscathed from the recent disruptions and continue to hold their heads up high with pride for having helped build, what I truly believe is one of the world's premier airlines, I have agreed to sacrifice every control and interest in the airline with the sole aim to ensure Jet family's lasting welfare," Goyal said in a statement after stepping down from the post of chairman.
Also read: Naresh Goyal and the alleged Jet-smoke trail of D Company
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