Indian Oil halts fuel supply to Jet Airways due to non-payment of funds, then resumes it again

Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL), on Friday, yet again 'temporarily' stopped the fuel supply to cash-strapped Jet Airways due to non-clearance of outstanding bills. This came only hours after it resumed the oil supply to the airline.

Earlier, the government-owned oil company had stopped the supply of Aviation turbine fuel to Jet Airways for an hour on Thursday in New Delhi which led to the disruption of its flight schedule.

Moments after grounding most of its planes, Civil Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola, on April 3, had said that less than 15 of the Jet planes are in operation now and its eligibility to fly on international routes needs to be examined.

READ |With no update on salary, Jet Airways pilots call for a strike from April 1

Troubled by non-payment of salaries, more than 1,000 Jet Airways pilots, on March 30, had confirmed that they would go on a strike from April 1. This development came days after the lenders agreed to infuse Rs. 1,500 crore as a part of an immediate relief measure, but the pilot union of Jet Airways said that there has been no update on the status of salary payment.

Earlier, a source said that around 200 pilots had written individually to Jet CEO Vinay Dube, threatening to go on "leave of absence". Reports have also claimed that they can take legal recourse over non-payment of salaries, a source in the pilots' community told news agency ANI.

READ | Naresh Goyal Steps Down As Jet Airways Chairman, Lenders To Pump In Rs 1,500 Crore

On March 25, Jet Airways Chairman Naresh Goyal and his wife stepped down from the board, paving way for lenders to bail out the financially troubled airline he founded 25 years ago.

(With ANI Inputs)