Jet cancels 173 flights as stir continues

New Delhi/Mumbai, Sept 11 (PTI) With the Jet pilots'
agitation continuing for the fourth consecutive day Friday,
the airline has cancelled 173 flights across India including
15 from the national capital New Delhi.
The flights were cancelled despite the airways
management and its pilots Thursday night hammering out a broad
understanding to break the deadlock over the pilots' stir
raising prospects of a quick return to normalcy.

The understanding came after Indian Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh inquired about the crisis at the Cabinet
meeting which was given an update by Indian Civil Aviation
Minister Praful Patel.

"Around 15 flights including four international flying
from Delhi till afternoon have been cancelled. In total we
have cancelled 173 flights from across the country," a Jet
Airways spokesperson said.

The airline said in Mumbai that 495 of its pilots
reported sick and did not join duty.
"Passengers flying on routes which we don't operate
are being transferred to other air carriers and rest of the
passengers are flying on Jet Airways and JetLite flights," the
spokesperson said.

Most of the passengers had already booked their
tickets with other airlines apprehending trouble in view of
the stir.

Jet airways ticketing counter as well as check-in
counter wore a deserted look.

The pilots are agitating since Tuesday demanding
reinstatement of their four sacked colleagues.

The ground staff Thursday appealed to the pilots to
withdraw their strike and resume duties. PTI SMJ
ANU