India’s premium airline has been temporarily shut down after the consortium of banks led by State Bank Of India (main lender) refused to outlay emergency fund of Rs 400 crore. The employees of Jet Airways, who haven’t received four months of salaries, cannot help but stare at their uncertain future.
After numerous protests in various parts of Delhi and Mumbai, where pilots, cabin crew members, ground staff, technicians and other employees expressed their grievances, the Jet Airways domestic pilots’ body, the National Aviators Guild (NAG) has decided to give a face to this massive airline crisis.
The campaign titled, ‘Wings Clipped’ carries a series of videos where the employees of the cash-strapped airline can be seen voicing their plights. One of the common concerns are how the families would meet their month’s end as they have almost spent their savings in the last four months. The employees through these videos asked the government to intervene in the matter and help Jet Airways to stand on its feet again. The employees wished to fly back as to them the sky is their home. The employees also questioned Naresh Goyal for failing to stand on its promise of clearing their salaries.
One of the pilots who has worked with the airline for 18 years even questioned law and order of the country citing how an employer of a private firm can step down without paying the unpaid salaries. The pilot ended the video by saying that if this is how the private firms in the country operate, then you could be next.
We’ve decided to put a face to the #JetAirwaysCrises. It’s time to meet the people that are directly affected. Starting off our #WingsClipped series with Capt Sudha. #9WFamily #JetAirways #WeTheEmployees pic.twitter.com/sNJBS9ylSu
— NAG (@nagpilots) April 29, 2019
In another video, a daughter of the former Jet Airways employee is seen speaking how even after cracking the entrance test of some of the reputed colleges which she dreamt of, she is unsure of getting admission, because the family has already resorted to the college savings for daily expenses. She speaks about her distraught father looking for a job even after being loyal to the airline for 21 years.
Meet the second face of our #WingsClipped Series that aims to put a face to the #JetAirwaysCrises, Punya Arora. Punya rightfully highlights that it is not just employees that are directly suffering, it’s their families as well. #9WFamily #Jetairways #WeTheEmployees pic.twitter.com/4532zjDsX1
— NAG (@nagpilots) April 30, 2019
In another video, daughter of an employee speaks about how the priority has narrowed down to survival averting all other dreams.
Without jobs and employment, our children don’t have a future. This #MayDay we hope, no one ever has to be in 17-year-old Puljeet’s shoes. Her father loyally devoted years of #labour to #JetAirways and didn’t deserve to have his #WingsClipped. #9WFamily #JetAirwaysCrises pic.twitter.com/0PiDpb3sUL
— NAG (@nagpilots) May 1, 2019
A 12-year-old girl tells how she had to wear worn out uniforms and sling her torn school bag as her father couldn’t bear to spend on these things. She further asked the government to intervene and help the company to revive.
A few days back, a Jet Airways employee who was suffering from cancer committed suicide owing to the deteriorating financial condition.
Also Read: Zero Cash & No Fuel, Jet Airways May Shut Down Soon: A Timeline Of Events
