It's not TGIF at Jet Airways given unrest among employees, skeletal services and last day to submit EoIs

Jet Airways' employees, including its ground staff, have called for a 'gathering' on April 12 at the airline's headquarters in Mumbai to enquire on their unpaid salary.

The All India Jet Airways Officers & Staff Association in a communique has asked its members to gather at 1.30 pm "to ascertain clarification on our unpaid salaries for month of March and about our job security."

The association added: "Let us express our feeling in open about our hardships faced due inability to meet our ends. For instance, routine expenses such as house rent, missing of EMI deadlines, transport expenses to and fro home and office etc."

Unrest among its employees comes on the last day to submit expression of interest for Jet Airways. Till now, Etihad Airways, which owns 24 percent stake in the cash-strapped airline, and a clutch of private equity players are said to have submitted EoIs.

Founder and former Chairman Naresh Goyal and Air Canada may also join the fray.

The airline, which now has 12 aircraft flying and has also considerably curtailed its international and domestic services, needs an urgent infusion of funds. It has debts of over Rs 8,000 crore. While the banks were expected to transfer Rs 1,500 crore, only about Rs 250 crore has been provided to the airline.

Jet Airways has suspended west bound international flights from Thursday night till Friday morning. These includes flights to London and Amsterdam.

According to regulations, an airline needs to have a minimum fleet of 20 planes to operate international flights.

Domestically, the airline may operate a much truncated flight schedule on Friday, and that too mostly from Mumbai.

Its pilots have also threatened to go on protest from April 15, if their dues are not cleared.

In a communication issued late on Thursday night, the pilots' union -- National Aviators Guild -- reiterated its earlier demand. "It is time to seek some answers. Hence, we request all pilots to gather at Siroya Centre on the 15th at 1000 hrs in full uniform," it said

Three months salaries are yet to be paid to the pilots, engineers and senior management.