It’s been a bittersweet week for Jet Airways employees. The airline has reported its best quarter yet, with record profits of INR 467 crores for the third quarter ending December 31, 2015 compared to 29 crores in Q3 FY15. 2015 has been a good year for India airlines, with Indigo reporting a profit of Rs. 650 crores, making it the most profitable airline in India and Spicejet recovering its losses and clocking a net profit of 238 crores.
Naresh Goyal, Chairman, Jet Airways said: “Jet Airways is rightly placed to participate in the fast growth in India’s aviation sector driven by the country’s strong economic fundamentals. As a network carrier we are committed to connect India to the world with our full service product, providing greater choice and world class travel experience to guests. The record profit and overall strong financial performance in this fiscal is a result of several initiatives undertaken for improving productivity and efficiency.”
However, not of all its employees are celebrating over the prospect of fat bonuses. Especially not a certain group of five airhostesses.
A month ago singer Sonu Nigam had broken out into an impromptu gig in a Jet Airways flight from Jodhpur to Mumbai, much to the passengers’ delight. The video had been a smash hit and had immediately gone viral.
However, the civil aviation ministry wasn’t impressed. It’s been reported that the 5 cabin crew present on the flight during Sonu Nigam’s performance have been suspended. The video is now the subject of a governmental probe, the cabin crew have been temporarily grounded for allowing “misuse of the airline in-slight communication system” and thus violating airline regulations.
“All cabin crew on the flight have been taken off from flight duty for enquiry and corrective training to reinforce strict adherence to operating procedures,” a Jet Airways spokesman said in a statement.
Sonu Nigam himself appeared flabbergasted at the decision, saying that the suspension was too harsh and Indians needed to loosen up. “This act of lack of common sense, according to me, is real intolerance.”, he said in an interview