With Jet Airways shutting down its operations, the Jet Airways pilots’ union, National Aviator’s Guild (NAG), has started an initiative titled ‘Wings Clipped’ in a bid to put a face to the airline crisis, featuring jobless pilots and their families facing severe financial crunch.
Through the ‘Wings Clipped’ series, the employees of the cash-strapped airline are trying to highlight the issues they are facing. The pilots and their family members are sharing their expressions, emotions and first-hand accounts of how they have been affected by the grounding of one of the most popular airlines.
The #WingsClipped series on the NAG’s official Twitter handle started off with a woman pilot, Captain Sudha, narrating her plight.
In the video, Sudha asks why the employees were not paid their salaries before Jet Airways founder chairman Naresh Goyal was asked to step down from the board.
Asking people to empathise with Jet Airways employees, she said: “You could be the next,” addressing those employed in the private sector.
We’ve decided to put a face to the #JetAirwaysCrises. It’s time to meet the people that are directly affected. Starting off our #WingsClipped series with Capt Sudha. #9WFamily #JetAirways #WeTheEmployees pic.twitter.com/sNJBS9ylSu
— NAG (@nagpilots) April 29, 2019
The employees feel their wings have been clipped even after putting in years of labour for the Jet Airways.
In a heartbreaking message, 17-year-old Puljeet begs the government and the authorities concerned to get her father his job back. She says her father who had been a loyal Jet employee for years was now forced to hunt for a job. Puljeet says her wings have been clipped as she is finding it difficult to get admission in a college where she wants to pursue her higher studies.
Without jobs and employment, our children don’t have a future. This #MayDay we hope, no one ever has to be in 17-year-old Puljeet’s shoes. Her father loyally devoted years of #labour to #JetAirways and didn’t deserve to have his #WingsClipped. #9WFamily #JetAirwaysCrises pic.twitter.com/0PiDpb3sUL
— NAG (@nagpilots) May 1, 2019
The NAG said in a tweet the employees of Jet Airways wanted their stories to be heard.
Employees of Jet Airways have written to President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking their intervention to recover outstanding dues as well as to expedite the process of emergency funds for the airline which has shuttered its operations temporarily.
The Jet Airways crisis has resulted in financial hardship for its 22,000 direct employees and their more than 1,50,000 family members.