If that happens, Jet Airways will be the first bankrupt airline which will be revived under the Insolvency process.
Markets regulator Sebi has kept in abeyance the processing of Go Airlines' draft papers for an initial public offer worth Rs 3,600 crore. Go Airlines (India) Ltd, which has announced rebranding itself as 'Go First', filed preliminary papers for an initial share sale worth Rs 3,600 crore in May. The proceeds will be mainly used to repay dues. The "issuance of observations (has been) kept in abeyance", according to Sebi's latest update on processing status of Go Airlines' draft offer documents. The information was updated on June 25. In Sebi parlance, issuance of observations implies its go-ahead for the IPO.
When Jet Airways shut operations, the slots which were allocated to it were temporarily distributed among various airlines. And, the airlines that were called upon to immediately create infrastructure so that the public at large does not face any hardship have invested huge amounts of money to created infrastructure to utilise such slots. "In view of this, though the allocation of slots to such airlines is temporary the same can't be withdrawn from them without any legitimate basis.", the affidavit said.
Kalrock Capital-Murari Lal Jalan combine has emerged as the frontrunner. A consortium of Imperial Capital and FSTC is the other bidder.
Jet Airways CEO-designate Sanjiv Kapoor on Monday said the new management does not want to be "in a rush" to restart operations while asserting that the airline will be unique and different. The ownership transfer of the airline under the insolvency resolution plan is facing hurdles over differences between the winning bidder and lenders. "We don't want to be in a rush," Kapoor said.
The consortium of UAE-based businessman Murari Lal Jalan and UK-based private equity fund Kalrock Capital is rushing to restart Jet Airways' operations, even though differences have emerged over who will fund expenses before operations commence, sources said. The airline applied to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for recertification of its air operator certificate in the last week of January. The regulator is likely to inspect the airline's preparedness to operate a flight in the middle of this month, after which it will be asked to operate a proving flight to demonstrate its ability to conduct flights safely and in accordance with rules.
Public sector lender Punjab National Bank (PNB) has moved the Insolvency appellate tribunal NCLAT against the approval of bids for defunct airline Jet Airways. The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) bench has issued a notice over the PNB's petition along with its interim plea seeking a stay over the execution of the resolution plan. A three-member bench has directed the Resolution Professional of Jet Airways along with other parties including the Committee of Creditors to file a reply within two weeks and rejoinder, if by PNB, within one week.
The pilot-turned-airline owner and his partner Biraja Jena plan to launch FlyBig, which has secured 16 routes under the fourth phase of UDAN, the government's regional connectivity programme.
These are the four primary issues that have soured the relationship between SBI-led lenders and JKC and delayed the resumption of commercial flights by Jet Airways, once India's largest private airline, which went bankrupt in 2019. Over the past three years, the airline went through an insolvency process under which JKC's resolution plan was approved by a committee of creditors (lenders) and the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in October 2020 and June 2021, respectively. But this didn't mean an end to the problems.
As and when Jet Airways applies for slots, these would be allocated among all airlines according to guidelines, without any claim of historicity in favour of any airline. Slots would be given to Jet only from the available remaining pool.
The ministry and the civil aviation regulator have said the government will consider the airline's request for slots as per existing policy.
Jet Airways is looking to lease around 20 Airbus A320 aircraft from lessors by 2024 as it aims to restart operations and fly international routes in the next one-and-a-half years. Jet's A320 aircraft fleet, according to sources, will be a mix of the Ceo and the more fuel-efficient Neo variants. These planes were originally intended for Russian airlines but could not be delivered following western sanctions on Russia over its Ukraine invasion.
Jet Airways has complained to India's aviation regulator about the use of its livery on SpiceJet aircraft, saying the practice could "mislead the public" and is a safety hazard. Jet collapsed in 2019 and lessors repossessed its Boeing 737s. Some of these aircraft were leased to SpiceJet, which operates them without changing the livery. Jet, which is now being revived by the Kalrock Jalan consortium and aims to restart operations in September, has asked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to ask SpiceJet to stop using its livery.
Among executives who have been approached are former president and CEO of IndiGo Aditya Ghosh, Wolfgang Prock Schauer, current president and Chief Operating Officer at IndiGo and Sanjay Kumar, Chief Strategy and Revenue Officer of IndiGo.
A committee of creditors had, in October, approved of the resolution plan submitted by UAE businessman Murari Lal Jalan and Kalrock Capital.
A European cargo airline has moved the National Company Law Tribunal seeking expeditious acquisition of three Jet Airways B777-300 aircraft. The application is by a Malta-based Ace Aviation VIII Limited, which emerged as a successful bidder in the auction of three Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The firm is part of a Belgium-based cargo airline and its application will be heard on Wednesday.
The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) on Monday dismissed the petition filed by an employee association of debt-ridden Jet Airways, challenging the sale of two floors of office space in Mumbai's business district of Bandra Kurla during the insolvency process of the grounded carrier. Jet Aircraft Maintenance Engineers Welfare Association (JAMEWA had challenged the orders passed by the Mumbai bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) on June 11, 2021, allowing the sale of the office space for Rs 490 crore. The association had contended that the sale of BKC property, was not permissible under the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code (IBC) as a moratorium was declared over the assets of the company after an order dated June 20, 2019.
'The actual amount due to Jet Airways employees is Rs 1,200 crore, and the management is giving only Rs 52 crore.'
Challenging the "illegal" reduction in its claim by the erstwhile resolution professional (RP) in the Jet Airways revival plan, the Punjab National Bank (PNB) has moved the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) citing discrimination. The NCLAT on Thursday issued notices to RP Ashish Chhawchharia and the committee of creditors on PNB's plea to set aside the insolvency court's approval of the airline's revival plan. It has posted the matter for further hearing on September 21.
Jet's staff strength stands whittled down to around 4,000, with many former employees having joined airlines in India and abroad.
