‘Jet’s winning bidder cannot claim airline’s original slots’

Distributed slots can’t be forfeited now, Ministry tells NCLT

In a move that casts doubt on the future of Jet Airways, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has told the Mumbai bench of the NCLT that the airline’s winning bidder does not have a claim over the airport slots distributed among various airlines when Jet ceased operations in 2019. The NCLT is examining the revival plan for the airline submitted by the winning bidder — Murari Lal Jalan and Kalrock Capital Consortium. “The occasion for approval of slots and other bilateral rights will arise after approval of the resolution plan,” the Ministry said in an affidavit submitted to the NCLT. “The RA [resolution applicant] can’t claim these slots as matter of right under the present insolvency proceedings,” it added. A slot is a permission given to an airline to land at or depart from an airport.