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Jet Airways to start 7 additional flights to London
New flights to London, but Jet Airways defers commencement of Mumbai-New York flights
BY OUR AVIATION BUREAU
7 June, 2005: Jet Airways’ plans to spread wings in the lucrative international sector got a boost, with the Centre permitting the private carrier to operate seven additional flights on Delhi / Mumbai-London route from winter schedule.
Jet informed the Bombay Stock Exchange, where it is listed, about the Indian government’s decision, on Monday. Jet Airways shares closed at Rs.1,330.55 on Monday, up from Rs 1318.10 Saturday. The markets were open last Saturday for special trading.
This takes the total number of Jet Airways flights in this route to 14 per week. The airline commenced operations in the route from May 23, with a daily flight.
Jet Airways, which started operations in 1993, has a 46 per cent market share in the country as a domestic full-service carrier. Jet ferried over eight million passengers in 2004.
Meanwhile, it has deferred its scheduled start of operations in the Mumbai - New York sector, though the firm claimed that this had no links with the row over its alleged Al Qaeda links, following charges to that effect made by its US name sake. The operations were scheduled to commence on June 23.
Jet Airways Executive director Saroj Datta said the operations have been postponed as the airline received permission from the Director General of Civil Aviation and other clearances only recently. The revised date for commencing operations would be announced soon.
The Delaware-based Jet had filed a complaint to the US Department of Transport on May 23, saying any permission to Jet Airways India would endanger US national security as the Indian carrier had “Al Qaeda” links.
The Indian airline described the charges as “wild and unsubstantiated“ and has vowed to sue its US namesake. But in a relief to Jet India, the Port Authority of Newark has rubbished the US Jets claim. It has supported the Indian Jet’s entry with the US Department of Transport. The US authorities are moving cautiously on the issue, since Al Qaeda’s name has been dragged into it.
Jet Airways India had come out with a successful Initial Public Offering recently, in a bid to fund its ambitious expansion plans.
BY OUR AVIATION BUREAU
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