NEW DELHI: Less than 70 aircraft out of Jet Airways’ fleet of 119 are currently operational. The airline on Tuesday evening informed BSE it had grounded three more planes “due to non-payment to lessors”. Earlier in the day, a senior DGCA official had said only 70 planes out of Jet’s fleet of 119 were operational. The evening announcement brought that number down to 67 out of 119 or just over half of the fleet is now flying and 52 grounded.
While 28 planes have been grounded since last month due to non payment to lessors, the other 24 can’t fly due to a severe cash crunch that is not allowing getting spares and engines.
“We have asked Jet to ensure it makes alternate arrangements for passengers booked on cancelled flights and that they do not suffer. Also whatever planes Jet is flying must be completely airworthy,” a senior Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) official said on Thursday.
