Uncertain Future for India’s Jet Airways as AOC Expires

The future of Jet Airways looks uncertain after the Indian carrier’s air operator’s certificate (AOC) expired on May 19 and its C-level executives departing the company.

According to data from the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Jet Airways’ AOC was valid until May 19, 2023, with the airline having a single Boeing 737-800, registered as VT-SXE, assigned to the Indian carrier.

However, with C-level executives departing the company, the carrier’s revival is thrown into further doubt. Its Chief Executive Officer (CEO)-designate, Sanjiv Kapoor, left the company on May 1, 2023. At the time the Jalan Kalrock Consortium (JKC), which was created to relaunch Jet Airways, stated that the company remained “fully committed” to relaunching the airline’s operations.

The airline’s sole Boeing 737-800, registered as VT-SXE, has not flown since August 2022, per flight tracking website RadarBox.

JKC successfully bid for Jet Airways in June 2021, when the airline was still undergoing its insolvency process before the Indian National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). Jet Airways suspended operations in April 2019 after it ran into severe financial problems. The consortium renewed the carrier’s AOC on May 20, 2022, in order to move forward with the resumption of flight operations. However, it has failed to do so.

Rumors began to circulate that the still-grounded airline was looking to order up to 200 aircraft from either Airbus or Boeing in March 2023, a move similar to Air India’s huge order for up to 470 aircraft, including options, from February 2023.