'Protect passengers' rights, safety': Suresh Prabhu directs aviation secretary to review Jet Airways crisis

Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu on Tuesday directed civil aviation secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola to review issues related to crisis-hit Jet Airways and ensure rights and safety of passengers. 

"Directed Secretary @MoCA_GoI to review issues related to Jet Airways, especially increasing fares, flight cancellations etc," Prabhu said in a tweet.

Besides asking the secretary to take necessary steps to protect passenger rights and safety, Prabhu has called for working with all stakeholders for their well being.

The direction comes ahead of the board meeting of the Jet Airways today to take a call on the future of the debt-ridden carrier which is facing the worst existential crisis in its 25 years history. 

On Monday, the SBI-led consortium -- who took over the airline following the exit of Naresh Goyal last month -- deferred its decision on providing Rs 1,500-crore emergency funds to the airline, which it had promised earlier. 

During the marathon meeting between the lenders and airline's management on Monday, the National Aviator’s Guild, which claims the support of around 1,100 pilots belonging to the Jet Airways, requested the lenders to release the funds and also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to save around 20,000 jobs at the ailing airline.

Meanwhile, the airline extended the suspension of its services on overseas routes till April 18 the decision was taken following the non-receipt of funds from its lenders, who have now management control of the airline following a debt-restructuring plan last month.

The airline has only seven planes in the fleet with six of them regional jets ATRs and one B737 now. Rest of the planes in its fleet of 123, is on ground due to non-payment of rentals to the lessors and lack of cash to purchase jet fuel.