Jet Airways’ pilots decision to stop flying from April 1 till their salaries are paid could affect the bookings which passengers are making on the carrier.

John Nair, Head, Business Travel, Cox & Kings, told BusinessLine that travellers are cautious. “(They) do not want to take a chance and they are booking on other airlines,” he said.

SOTC is reassuring its customers through proactive communication about alternative travel arrangements by providing them with reliable flight options and bearing the additional costs of the same to those who have been inconvenienced.

“Going forward, we have taken measures to not book customers on flights that are being cancelled frequently to ensure that they are not inconvenienced at any point during their holiday,” Daniel D’souza, President & Country Head, Leisure, SOTC Travel, said. SOTC is a travel and tourism company.

Meanwhile, official sources said on Wednesday that Jet Airways’ active fleet is rapidly declining and could fall below 35 aircraft by the end of the day. “The schedule of the airline is now being cleared almost on a daily basis,” sources said.

They, however, added that if enough funding is made available to the airline it could bounce back to normalcy in about two months.

On Tuesday, the National Aviator’s Guild had decided that unless the airline is current on salaries by March for its pilots they would strike work. Pilots say the airlines owes them 87.5 per cent of the December salary and 100 per cent of the salaries due in January and February. The 11-day notice period for striking work was given so that the flying public is aware of the situation and can take their own decisions, a pilot said.

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