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Jet Airways to relaunch flight in Sept

The airline, currently owned by a consortium led by Dubai-based Murari Lal Jalan, announced that it passed a significant milestone on its path to resuming operations

Jet Airways, which got a new lease on life after grounded three years ago, is all set to become the first Indian carrier to relaunch operations under India’s bankruptcy law when it takes to the skies in September this year.

The airline, currently owned by a consortium led by Dubai-based Murari Lal Jalan, announced that it passed a significant milestone on its path to resuming operations. The airline completed the last of its proving flights earlier this week and has been granted regulatory approval to restart commercial flight operations.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday granted the airline operating permit (AOP, or licence) to Jet 2.0 under its new promoters, the Jalan-Kalrock consortium, and a new management team.

Once India’s biggest private carrier, the airline in which UAE’s Etihad Airways had a stake, stopped flying in April 2019 due to financial troubles. A significant investment from Jalan-Kalrock consortium has enabled its return to the skies. The issuance of an air operator certificate by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation is the final step in a comprehensive regulatory and compliance process to discern the airline’s operational readiness.

“The ‘Joy of Flying’ was a tagline for Jet Airways in an earlier era. We are delighted to announce that The Joy is coming back.”

“We are grateful to have received the revalidated AOC, the culmination of months of effort by a fantastic and dedicated team that never wavered in its faith and belief that Jet Airways would fly again, backed by the Jalan-Kalrock consortium, by the Resolution Professional, and by a committee of creditors who were equally determined to see Jet fly again,” said Sanjiv Kapoor, chief executive officer of the airline.

The consortium said it plans to “recommence commercial operations in the next quarter of this year (July-September 2022).

“Aircraft and fleet plan, network, product and customer value proposition, loyalty programme, and other details will be unveiled in a phased manner over the coming week,” the airline said in a statement.

On May 15 and 17, the airline had successfully conducted 2 proving flights with key DGCA officials on board. “Today marks a new dawn for not just Jet Airways, but also for the Indian aviation industry. We are now at the brink of creating history by bringing India’s most-loved airline back to the skies. We will not only live up to the great expectations from brand Jet Airways, but also exceed them in many ways for today’s discerning flyers. We are committed to making this an extraordinary success story in Indian aviation and in Indian business. We are grateful to the NCLT, the ministry of civil aviation, and to the DGCA for supporting us at every step of our efforts to revive the airline,” said Jalan in a statement.

“We will combine the best of what Jet Airways was known for 25 years, with exciting new ideas to set the bar even higher,” he said.

The statement added that additional senior management appointments will be unveiled next week, and hiring for operational roles will also now commence in earnest, with former Jet Airways staff getting preference.

— issacjohn@khaleejtimes.com