Air India Chairman Ashwani Lohani on Thursday, 18 April, has written to the SBI chief, showing an interest in operating Jet Airways’ five grounded Boeing 777s, reported PTI.
With lenders not extending emergency funds, the cash-starved Jet Airways on Wednesday, 17 April, announced temporary suspension of operations.
Expressing his dismay, Lohani said Wednesday that the closure of jet Airways was a setback for Indian Aviation and a sad day for all those in the business of flying.
In a Facebook post, Lohani said, “While sustained mismanagement definitely contributed, the fact remains that in the entire aviation ecosystem, it is the airline that invariably remains at the receiving end while all other stakeholders make money."
"We have in the past witnessed many airlines shutting shop and it is time to appreciate that the razor thin margins in which airlines are forced to operate in a competitive environment, results in a scenario that encourages unsustainability," Lohani added.
Jet will be the seventh airline to go down since May 2014 and the 13th one after East West shut operations.
During the past five years airlines like Air Pegasus, Air Costa, Air Carnival, Air Deccan, Air Odisha and Zoom Air have all gone belly up even as the government boasts of double-digits growth for more than four years in tow.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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