Jet Airways received its revalidated Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India.
With the receipt of AOC, the Jalan Kalrock Consortium has fulfilled all the conditions precedent under their NCLT approved Resolution Plan. The revalidation of AOC enables Jet Airways to resume its scheduled commercial operations in India. This significant milestone also paves way for the comeback of the iconic airline in a new avatar with fresh funding, changed ownership, and new management.
The grant of the AOC was the final step in a comprehensive regulatory and compliance process involving several procedural checks for the airline’s operational readiness. The process concluded with the airline having successfully conducted a number of proving flights between 15 May 2022 and 17 May 2022, with key DGCA officials on board. The grant of the AOC revalidates the confidence of the DGCA in the operational preparedness of Jet Airways.
Murari Lal Jalan, Lead Member of Jalan-Kalrock Consortium, said: “Today marks a new dawn for not just Jet Airways, but also for the Indian aviation industry. We are now at the brink of creating history by bringing India’s most-loved airline back to the skies. We will not only live up to the great expectations from brand Jet Airways, but also exceed them in many ways for today’s discerning flyers. We are committed to making this an extraordinary success story in Indian aviation and in Indian business. We are grateful to the NCLT, the Ministry of Civil Aviation, and to the DGCA for supporting us at every step of our efforts to revive the airline.”
Sanjiv Kapoor, Chief Executive Officer, added: “The “Joy of Flying” was a tagline for Jet Airways in an earlier era. We are delighted to announce that The Joy is coming back!
“We are grateful to have received the revalidated AOC, the culmination of months of effort by a fantastic and dedicated team that never wavered in its faith and belief that Jet Airways would fly again, backed by the Jalan-Kalrock Consortium, by the Resolution Professional, and by committee of creditors who were equally determined to see Jet fly again.”
“There is a need for an airline that is simply not a clone of other airlines, but actually offers something that is meaningfully different while offering new ways to attract, delight, and win customers. An airline that understands that doing the right thing by customers, staff, partners, and all stakeholders is the only way to do business. All of us on the re-start team are deeply committed and passionate about building the new Jet Airways into a modern, differentiated, people-focused airline for the digital age. We will combine the best of what Jet Airways was known for 25 years, with exciting new ideas to set the bar even higher.“
Jet Airways intends to recommence commercial operations in the next quarter of this year (July-September 2022). Aircraft and fleet plan, network, product and customer value proposition, loyalty program, and other details will be unveiled in a phased manner over the coming weeks. Additional senior management appointments will be unveiled next week, and hiring for operational roles will also now commence in earnest, with former Jet Airways staff getting preference wherever possible.