NEW DELHI: Etihad Airways is holding talks with Jet Airways Ltd. and its bankers on a rescue plan for the debt-laden Indian carrier, two sources aware of the matter told Reuters.
Executives from Etihad and Jet have met some of the airline’s bankers in Mumbai in recent days to discuss ways to address its cash flow issues and evaluate the carrier’s future business plan, the sources said.
Etihad, which owns 24 percent stake in Jet Airways, is also considering investing fresh funds in the airline if it can agree on the structure, one of the sources said, adding that no deal has been finalized.
The sources did not want to be named as the discussions are private.
Jet, which is India’s biggest full service carrier by market share, is in desperate need of cash. The 25-year-old airline, founded by Naresh Goyal, owes money to lessors and vendors, has delayed salary payments to pilots and senior executives and is cutting flights on non-profitable routes to save money.
India is one of the world’s fastest-growing domestic aviation markets but high fuel prices, a weak rupee and intense price wars in the country, which is dominated by no-frills airlines like Interglobe Aviation Ltd’s IndiGo, has exacerbated Jet’s woes in recent months.
Etihad has already come to Jet’s rescue once when it picked up a 24 percent stake in the carrier in 2013 but the situation is different this time.
While the Abu Dhabi-based carrier is invested in Jet, it has lost money in other airline ventures such as Alitalia and Air Berlin and may be wary of loosening the purse strings again, said another source.
Also, with tighter lending norms and a liquidity crisis in India, bankers may be hesitant to lend more to the struggling airline.
On Tuesday news channel CNBC-TV18 reported citing sources that Jet is close to finalizing a deal under which Etihad will inject fresh funds in the airline.
Goyal, who is founder and majority shareholder, has assured the airline’s pilot union that the funding, which will likely result in route restructuring and more flights to Abu Dhabi, could take place as early as mid-December, the channel said.
Goyal has also assured pilots that there will be no delays in salary payments from April 1, according to the channel.
Jet and Etihad did not immediately responded to Reuters’ emails seeking comment.
Etihad, Jet Airways in talks on rescue deal — sources
Etihad, Jet Airways in talks on rescue deal — sources
- India is one of the world’s fastest-growing domestic aviation markets but high fuel prices, a weak rupee and intense price wars in the country
Global investors commit more than $3bn to King Salman Park as Saudi giga-project secures new deals
RIYADH: The King Salman Park Foundation has secured more than $3.8 billion in new private-sector commitments at the MIPIM 2026 real estate conference, including a landmark $3 billion fund backed by international investors to develop a major mixed-use district in the heart of Riyadh.
According to a press release, the announcements bring total committed investment in the 17.2 sq. kilometers urban regeneration project to over $5.3 billion across five major packages.
Launched in 2019 under Saudi Vision 2030, the development is designed to be the world’s largest city park and aims to boost green space, improve quality of life, and feature over 1 million trees and extensive leisure facilities.
A $3 billion metro-connected district
The largest of the two packages, designated Package 5, will see a consortium led by Kolaghassi Development Co. deliver a residential-led district with a total built-up area exceeding 1 million sq. meters.
It will provide approximately 3,700 residential units, a K–12 school, around 300 hospitality keys and more than 100,000 sq m of Grade A office space alongside a wide variety of retail and dining offerings.
The development is supported by a Saudi-domiciled, Capital Market Authority-regulated fund managed by Mulkia Investment Co. that has attracted leading investors from the Kingdom and across the world.
Kolaghassi Development Co. will lead the project alongside Al Othaim Investment, one of the Kingdom’s real estate players, and RXR, a New York-headquartered real estate investor and operator.
“Securing investment of this scale, supported by international capital and expertise, is an important milestone for King Salman Park,” said George Tanasijevich, CEO of King Salman Park Foundation.
$850 million cultural district package
In a separate announcement, the Foundation confirmed the award of Package 4 to a consortium led by Retal Urban Development Co., with support from a fund managed by SAB Invest.
The project has a total value exceeding $850 million and will host more than 600 residential units, over 140 hotel keys, and almost 50,000 sq m of Grade A office space, alongside curated retail and food and beverage experiences.
“This opportunity reflects the maturity of Saudi Arabia’s real estate investment landscape and our confidence in culture-led, mixed-use urban destinations as a driver of sustainable returns,” said Abdullah Al-Braikan, CEO and founder of Retal Urban Development Co.
Ali Al-Mansour, CEO of SAB Invest, said the fund structure brings together “long-term capital, experienced development partners, and a shared commitment to place-making excellence” while contributing to Riyadh’s cultural vibrancy and the Kingdom’s quality-of-life ambitions under Vision 2030.
