Beleaguered carrier Jet Airways has grounded two more of itsaircraft due to non-payment of lease rentals, taking the total number of planeson ground to 23.
With the grounding of two more planes, almost 20 per cent ofaircraft in the airlines fleet are now out of operations.
“An additional two aircraft have been grounded due tonon-payment of amounts outstanding to lessors under their respective leaseagreements,” the airline said in a filing to the stock exchanges onSaturday.
It also said that it is actively “engaged” withall its aircraft lessors and regularly provides them with updates on theefforts undertaken to improve its liquidity.
The company said it was making all efforts to minimisedisruption to its network due to the grounding of these planes and waspro-actively informing and re-accommodating its affected guests.
The airline also continues to provide the required andperiodic updates to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in thisregard, it added.
After announcing the grounding of four of its planes onFebruary 7 for non-payment to lessors, the airline took another two aircraftout of operations due to similar reasons on February 23.
On February 27 and 28, Jet Airways grounded seven and sixaircraft, respectively, due to the non-payment of lease rentals.
Later, two aircraft were grounded on Friday and as many onSaturday, taking the total number of planes out of operations to 23.