JET
A collective insanity is taking place. Some facts:
Jet Airways has established as a first truly world class airline in India. After so many awards the company deserves to be a reason of proud for India.
As well, it establised an international network on record time, with new routes, the best equipment, the best service and the most experienced pilots available in the world, with impeccable backgrounds from the top airlines.
Jet accomplished what for any other airline took many years. Very unfortunately, was hit by the perfect storm: almost immediately after start their new routes and spending multimillion dollars the oil went to USD 140 and soon thereafter the recession hit, mid 2008.
So, when all the investment and hard work was supposed to be paid back, the exact reverse occurred. Not even the smarter financial advisor could ever predicted it. Bottom line: here we have a company just struggling for survive.
It looks like it was entirely inappropriate timing to think about establishing an union right now! And, from some insighters info (I cannot confirm these facts), the guys involved on it have personnal issues with the management. One of them is a long haul captain that had been failed twice by expats TRE and had a nickname "the sleeper" for obvious reason.
I say again, I cannot confirm these facts, it comes from somebody closer to the facts.
So, what's the point in sacrificing an ailing airline(and of course, the passangers) on somebody's egos?
As for the expats, when the company decided to contract them it was just a business decision: the administration fortunately knows that experience is the most important asset in this industry. Otherwise it would be like KAL history back on the 80's: many disasters involving captains with less than 4000 hours. No matter what the wannabes with 200 hs on their pockets think about it...when it comes to smoking debris and headlines one have to understand the hard facts.
Recently there was a basic emergency poorly handled by a relatively unexperienced captain on the wide body fleet that could easily lead to a disaster. As well a number of unstabilized approaches due to lack of experience... I cannot confirm these facts, as it was passed to me by an internal source.
So it's time to get the heads cool, and negotiate the best course of action.
The present confrontation will have no winners.