Jet Airways (Mumbai International) is sticking to a late 2022 restart date despite not yet locking in aircraft. The airline remains in talks with aircraft manufacturers and lessors but is telling India-based media outlet that a deal is close to being finalised and that they expect to re-commence flight operations by the end of the year.
Once India's biggest private airline, Jet Airways went out of business in April 2019 but was later acquired by the Jalan-Kalrock consortium. Until recently, the revived airline was targeting an October 2022 restart after earlier flagging a March 2022 date. But, as recently as last week, the airline's new owners were still trying to obtain a no-objection certificate from its former financing banks, which will free the restarting carrier to buy or lease aircraft.
"There is no deadline. Target dates are set by us alone, and we have always maintained that this is a marathon, not a sprint. We had said we were targeting to launch by October 2022, and we are tracking quite close to that," a Jet Airways spokesperson has told Indian media outlets.
"Starting or restarting an airline is a complex business, and we want to be sure we take the time to get the best possible terms and contracts for both aircraft and engines, including maintenance contracts, as well as to receive aircraft configured the way we want... If that takes a little more time to get right, that is fine."
There is speculation Jet Airways may opt for the A320-200N after one - msn 10546 - was spotted in the carrier's livery at Maastricht. The jet was originally destined for S7 Airlines (S7, Novosibirsk) in Russia but never taken up owing to sanctions. However, Jet has also talked to Airbus about the A220. Before going out of business in 2019, Jet Airways was a Boeing customer and applied for its new air operator's certificate using a B737. According to the ch-aviation fleets module, it retains two inactive A330-200s, three inactive B737-800s, and a single inactive B737-900.
In August, Bloomberg reported Jet Airways was talking to Airbus about potentially ordering fifty A220s valued at around USD1.8 billion after discounts and with a delivery timeline starting circa 2025. The same report cited talks with Boeing about a "sizeable" B737 MAX order.
ch-aviation has previously reported on Jet Airways clashing with former lenders who were left substantially out of pocket after the 2019 collapse. Several are reportedly reluctant to allow the airline to take on fresh liabilities and acquire the new aircraft needed to restart operations. However, Jet Airways maintains there is no current impediment to placing a fresh aircraft order or acquiring new assets. Meanwhile, the airline's new owners are due in India's Bankruptcy Court on October 11 to provide an update on the carrier's rescue plan, including plans to acquire new aircraft.
