By when do you expect Jet Airways to be airborne again? We are optimistic about getting the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) clearance during this month. Within six months of that, we will be airborne again. Things look positive for us as of now. Why did you consider investing in an airline? Aviation has been an area of interest for me ever since I can remember. We were actually looking for an opportunity in this sector all along. Interestingly, despite the pandemic, we got an opportunity to make inroads into the sector by investing in Jet Airways in October 2020. Do you intend to buy brand new aircraft into the existing fleet? If so, why? Yes, we do intend to buy 25 new aircraft, which would include 20 narrow-bodied aircraft and five wide-bodied ones. We are looking at both Boeing and Airbus. Once the NCLT’s clearance is in, we will firm up our orders. We would like to fly them internationally, as also in the domestic sector. Are all the previous routes Jet operated on available for flying? We have invested in Jet Airways due to its legacy and have submitted a plan to Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Ministry of Civil Aviation, expressing our desire to fly on all the earlier routes. We don’t see any challenges in getting all the earlier slots. What about the erstwhile employees of Jet Airways? Are they likely to be reinstated in the organisation? The earlier employees of the organisation are assets and we intend to recruit as many as possible, depending on merit and operational requirement. We may recruit an additional team too, if we shortlist buying Airbus aircraft, as the pilots would have to be different from the earlier ones. Do you intend to change the look of the airline? Perhaps a new logo! We have no intention of making any changes. So, nothing will appear any different from what it was in the past. Are there any changes that one would notice onboard? We intend to be more youth-friendly - which would include services like the Internet in the Skies and also in-flight programmes, to attract the youth and also keep them entertained. Will you consider setting up a separate cargo fleet or would you fly combo flights? We are considering setting up a separate cargo vertical. We can consider utilising the older fleet for the same. But all these are just options we are mulling over at the moment. When the time comes we will make a specific announcement to that effect. Jet Airways is now going to be headquartered in Delhi. What made you consider Delhi? National Capital Region (NCR) is more convenient at present; so, yes, our corporate headquarters will be in Delhi/ NCR. Besides, with most things going virtual these days, it doesn’t really matter where one is based. Everything is available at the click of a button now. Where did you grow up? Can you share a brief on your background? I was born in Ranchi and began to work there, till I moved to Kolkata for a few years. From there, I shifted to Russia, as I saw a lot of business opportunity there. I later moved to Dubai. At present I have business interests across many continents.
-
Jalan: aviation has been an area of interest for me ever since I can remember
