Jet chief warns 'sick' pilots of tough action

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New Delhi: The deadlock between Jet Airways and pilots continued for the second day on Wednesday and once again passengers bore the brunt of the standoff.

So far there has been no indication of either side backing down. The striking pilots have said they are ready for talks but won't disband their newly created union - the National Aviators Guild.

A tough talking Jet Airways Chairman Naresh Goyal told CNN-IBN Editor-in-Chief Rajdeep Sardesai in an exclusive interview that he will sack more pilots if they continued to stay away from work and also hire more pilots if the strike continues.

CNN-IBN: Are you saying that if this continues for a few more days you will actually think of taking more drastic action. You sacked two pilots initially then you sacked three more. Are you ready to sack more pilots if it comes to that to break this stir?

Naresh Goyal: The question is I am not looking for any confrontation. They have not been reporting for duty. They have been on a roaster, they were supposed to fly, they knew passengers have been booked on flights in India and overseas an in the last minute they don't come and say it is not a strike. There are 400 people reporting sick. I mean what does it amount to? It is holding passengers as hostage. They feel the company cannot afford these losses. We will not have money to pay the employees. They say they will paralyse the company because they have enough money, they have been making enough money in the last so many years.

CNN-IBN: Are you willing to continue to take tough action or will you bend?

Naresh Goyal: If they do not follow the law of the land and if they are not even following the court, they are not following discipline... I have no choice.

CNN-IBN: You will take more action against pilots if it comes to that?

Naresh Goyal: Yes, if they don't follow certain rules and regulation of the company and the law of the land.

CNN-IBN: You will act against more pilots and get in new pilots if necessary?

Naresh Goyal: Yes! We will request the government authorities. There are enough pilots available worldwide. So that is not the problem.

CNN-IBN: The other point Mr Goyal which is being made is that when it came to Air India when there was a pilots stir a few years ago, the government invoked ESMA and protected the passengers because ultimately it is the a passenger who is suffering. Do you believe there should be some government intervention to protect Jet Airways?

Naresh Goyal: I must thank the secretary. I saw the Secretary, Civil Aviation, yesterday morning and the secretary immediately took me to the Home Secretary. I believe Home Secretary has written to six states where the pilots are based such as Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai Bangalore and Hyderabad to invoke ESMA. The government has been very helpful. So I am thankful to the Minister of Civil Aviation and the government.

CNN-IBN: So you want government intervention? You believe the government must protect the interest of passengers and the interest of Jet Airways?

Naresh Goyal: Yes, definitely. The government is looking at it and the government is very positive. In fact the Secretary said to me to see that passengers are not inconvenienced.

CNN-IBN: You are a private airlines. You believe that you can get the benefit of ESMA? The government service gets it. Do you believe that y6ou are a public service in that sense?

Naresh Goyal: I am grateful to the government and especially to the Prime Minister. Jet Airways started when he was the finance minister. I think the government gives equal importance to the private sector and public sector. I don't think they differentiate.

CNN-IBN: So you want the government to intervene and send a message to the pilots and save the passengers?

Naresh Goyal: I think they are doing it and they are understanding... they are seeing that everyday passengers are being harassed.

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