Published on 12:00 AM, April 08, 2019

Stake sale in troubled Jet Airways may get delayed

Lenders to India's troubled Jet Airways Ltd may have to wait a little longer to sell a stake in the carrier, as they need more clarity from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Business Standard newspaper reported on Sunday.

Jet, India's oldest private carrier, is saddled with more than $1 billion in debt, compounding its financial woes and forcing it to ground most of its fleet.

After Jet failed to convince potential investors, including its largest shareholder Etihad Airways, to bail it out, Indian banks decided to take a majority stake in the carrier.

Last month, Jet's lenders, led by State Bank of India agreed to bailout the airline in a complex deal that involved the banks taking a majority stake, while seeking out an investor to help revive the company's fortunes.