Jet execs queue up for Kingfisher

Barely a week after the crash landing of the Rs 2,300-crore Air Sahara acquisition deal, Jet Airways is set to lose half a dozen senior managers to its arch-rival Kingfisher Airlines.

Sources close to the development said Jet Vice President (Customer Services and Inflight) Rajesh Verma, along with five senior managers, would shortly join Kingfisher Airlines.

The five senior managers are believed to be part of the team that had been overseeing the process of revamping Air Sahara a few months back, when the companies had signed an agreement in principle for the proposed merger.

Jet Airways was unavailable for comments. Sources in Kingfisher Airlines confirmed Verma's appointment but did not wish to comment on the appointment of other senior managers.

Verma will join Kingfisher Airlines as executive vice-president of operations. Before joining Jet, he had worked with ITC Welcome Group for 13 years. He had joined Jet in March 1996.

"The senior general managers to join Kingfisher Airlines are from areas like catering, airport services, ground handling and inflight operations," sources said.

Earlier, former Swissair Executive Vice-President Peter Luethi had left Jet Airways as its COO, reportedly following differences with Chairman Naresh Goyal.

However, the airline maintained that Luethi had retired at the end of a three-year contract.

Subsequently, Jet Airways appointed Dale Moss as COO and Garry Kingshott as chief commercial officer (CCO).

Industry sources said a handful of Jet pilots had also applied to Kingfisher Airlines. "We are not poaching Jet pilots but will definitely consider if Jet pilots evince interest to join us. We have sufficient number of pilots who will come handy when we extend operations," Kingfisher sources said.

The rules of the civil aviation industry require serving a six months' notice prior to leaving an airline.