Mumbai:
Strike by the pilots of Jet Airways has brought to the fore an unfortunate phase for the Indian aviation sector struggling to cope with the recession blues.
The country's airlines are estimated to have lost some $2 billion in the last financial year and as losses continue to mount in a high-cost environment and exorbitant prices of Air Turbine Fuel (ATF).
The big question at the moment is whether aviation firms are in a midst of a big internal crisis.
"We are barely growing and now such incidents make our sector look bad," said Kapil Kaul, CEO-India & Middle-East of Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation.
The trouble, experts say, is that India's fast growth in air capacity never quite matched the expansion by airline companies and that's why Jet and Kingfisher have now started cutting back by deferring orders or leasing new plans to other airlines in Africa and Middle East.
Adding to the financial woes is a big internal crisis. The top brass of large airlines don't appear to be carrying with them a plan to keep costs under control and unions away from operations.
What's making things worse is the image of the entire sector with consumers harrowed at airports. The past four days have not only meant financial loss of over Rs 25-30 crore and lots of unhappy employees, but it also has been a break of trust for travelers.
There's plenty of uncertainty ahead for airlines, for sure. And it's clear, it is not just financial but a serious loss of faith for them after recent strike.