- The new shape of the airline is coming through a route of revival via bankruptcy.
- The original Jet Airways was based in Mumbai, and the rebirth will see it based in New Delhi.
- It is looking to commence short-haul international operations of the carrier in the second half of next year with the potential for international flights later on.
The new avatar – or the reincarnation – could materialize as soon as early next year, 2022, although on a modest scale.
The new shape of the airline is coming through on a different route not tried earlier. Jet Airways, once a strong and respected name, will take to the skies through the bankruptcy route of revival.
Initially it will be a domestic carrier only but by late next year, Jet Airways 2.0 may also fly abroad. The new management has not spelled out details of plans for international operations, however, industry sources indicated that the airline could be looking at the Gulf sector for its initial re-run.
While the original Jet Airways was based in Mumbai, the rebirth will see it based in New Delhi. It will continue to have a strong and significant presence in Mumbai as well, its earlier base.
The ownership pattern will also be different. Naresh Goet used to be the one to call the shots, but now a consortium led by UAE-based Indian businessman, Murari Lal Jalan, will be in the cockpit seat. Jalan, who leads Jalan Kalrock Consortium (JKC) acquired the grounded Indian airline Jet Airways.
A top executive said the airline is looking to commence short-haul international operations of the carrier in the second half of next year.
Sources say that initially, the new entity will have 50 airplanes in 3 years, with the number anticipated to grow to 100 in 5 years.
Should this plan be implemented, both flyers and businessmen will be quite happy and will be watching the developments of the reborn airline keenly.
The expansion in the air capacity will be a great development, especially since the disinvestment of Air India is still taking more time.
The airline said it has already hired over 150 full-time staff and is looking to onboard another 1,000 employees in the current fiscal year. The hiring will be in a phased manner and will be across categories.
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