Indian government calls emergency meeting as Jet Airways grounds more flights

NEW DELHI, March 19 (Xinhua) -- The Indian government on Tuesday called for an emergency meeting with Jet Airways management over grounding of flights, officials said.

India's Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabu wrote on twitter that he had directed secretary of the ministry to hold an emergency meeting on grounding of flights by Jet Airways, advance bookings, cancellation, refunds and safety issues.

Prabu has asked his junior minister Jayant Sinha to get hold of a report on Jet's compliance issues immediately from Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

The move comes at a time when the airline is struggling hard to stay afloat.

Owing to financial constraints, the airline has delayed payments to banks, suppliers, pilots and lessors, some of whom have forced the airline to ground as many as 41 planes.