Date:17/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/17/stories/2008101758050100.htm

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Dreams shattered with Jet layoff

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: They were flying high with dreams of making it big in aviation. On Wednesday, those dreams were shattered when the Jet Airways management laid off nearly 2,000 employees. Of these, around 60 were cabin crew from Bangalore.

A senior Jet Airways official told The Hindu that a majority of the sacked employees were recruited just a few months ago in view of the airline’s future expansion plans. Since the airline was forced to downsize the operations and curtail expansion, the employees, who had just completed their training, had to be sacked, he said.

While regular employees were given a month’s notice or a month’s salary, those on probation were given seven days’ notice.

Vandana, one among the sacked cabin crew, said those laid off had been working in the company for four months to one year. Her next course of action was to coordinate with her Mumbai colleagues. She added, “We just want our jobs back.” The sacked employees held a protest at the Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) on Thursday, and demanded their immediate reinstatement.

Jet Airways has 32 flights a day from BIA. The average load-factor is around 70 per cent. In some sectors, it is just 20 per cent.

Another Jet Airways official said employees who were still on the pay rolls were apprehensive. Senior officials have assured the employees that there will be no further layoffs.