New Delhi: Jet Airways appealed to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Thursday against the month-long suspension of its two pilots earlier this week, sources told FE. The two were part of a bigger group of 131 pilots issued a showcause notice by the aviation regulator on September 5, after an audit of the carrier found them to be flying with lapsed pilot proficiency checks (PPCs).
The carrier is reportedly worried that if all the pilots receive a suspension, it could lead to major disruptions in flight operations and impact profitability at a time when its burdened with record losses. FE had first reported on the suspension and the discrepancy in Jet's explanation to the DGCA for the lapsed PPCs on October 2.
Sources said the Mumbai-based full-service airline called an emergency meeting of its operations team on Thursday afternoon — a national holiday — to discuss the course of action. The letter, seeking reprieve from the DGCA for the two pilots, Kaustubh Pandit and Tash Sakpal, was sent right after the meeting.
“The suspension of the two pilots has caught the Jet management by surprise. If the DGCA does not revoke it, the regulator will have to suspend the remaining 129 as well. You can imagine the consequences,” a source close to the development said.
04/11/14 Roudra Bhattacharya/Financial Express
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The carrier is reportedly worried that if all the pilots receive a suspension, it could lead to major disruptions in flight operations and impact profitability at a time when its burdened with record losses. FE had first reported on the suspension and the discrepancy in Jet's explanation to the DGCA for the lapsed PPCs on October 2.
Sources said the Mumbai-based full-service airline called an emergency meeting of its operations team on Thursday afternoon — a national holiday — to discuss the course of action. The letter, seeking reprieve from the DGCA for the two pilots, Kaustubh Pandit and Tash Sakpal, was sent right after the meeting.
“The suspension of the two pilots has caught the Jet management by surprise. If the DGCA does not revoke it, the regulator will have to suspend the remaining 129 as well. You can imagine the consequences,” a source close to the development said.
04/11/14 Roudra Bhattacharya/Financial Express
