MNS Chief Raj Thackeray joins battle for Jet Airways employees who lost jobs

It all happened a bit too fast. Out of the blue, there was the announcement that Jet Airways and Kingfisher  were getting into an operational alliance to better manage costs in these times of crisis for the Indian and international aviation industry.

A day later, we had Jet Airways announcing huge job cuts which has its employees and crew in a panic. News was that 900 employees would be laid off post-alliance.

The ex-employees of Deccan Aviation, now working in Kingfisher Airlines, were worried that they would be the next to go.

Meanwhile, the laid off Jet Airways employees met Maharashtra Navnirman Sena Chief Raj Thackeray in Mumbai. After the meeting, Raj Thackeray promptly threatened that Jet would not be allowed to get away with the job cuts, and if the employees are not taken back, his party would not allow a single Jet Airways flight to take off from Mumbai.

So hardcore capitalism meets hardcore politics in the Indian aviation industry! This has all the makings of a big showdown.

Meanwhile, it seems the Jet Airways job cuts are more extensive than thought earlier. Jet Airway CEO Wolfgang Prock Schaeu and Executive Director B Saroj Datta told the media Mumbai that not just 900, a total of 1900 employees would be served separation notices! They said this was required to savethe jobs of the remaining 11,100 Jet employees.

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena has meanwhile announced that they would be meeting the Jet Airways top officials to discuss this issue. There has been not a pip out of Kingfisher Airines yet, however it is quite likely job cuts might follow there too. We would be keeping an eye.