VOA标准英语10月-India's Largest Private Airline Reinstates Sacked

India's largest private sector¹ airline has reinstated more than 800 employees who were sacked earlier in the week. As Anjana Pasricha reports from New Delhi, the dismissals - the largest in Indian aviation history - underline the crisis in the sector, which is piling up massive losses.

Hundreds of employees of Jet Airways² were jubilant as they returned to work Friday. Their surprise reinstatement came just two days after they were fired.

The company had said the dismissals were prompted by the need to cut costs, and said the number of people laid off would increase to 1,900.
　

Naresh Goyal talks on his mobile phone during the inauguration3 ceremony of India Aviation 2008, at Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad, India, 15 Oct 2008

But Jet Airways Chairman, Naresh Goyal, reversed course following massive protests by the sacked employees, mostly cabin crew.

"I apologize for all the agony what you must have gone through," he said. "I request all of you to start from tomorrow morning your work as of before."

Domestic media reports say the company may have changed its decision due to political pressure. The dismissals were the largest ever by any airline.

The problems of the sacked employees are over. But experts say the troubles faced by the once-booming aviation sector could deepen in the months to come.

According to industry estimates, airlines - both private and state owned - will accumulate losses of $1.5 billion this year.

The downturn comes after the aviation sector witnessed frantic⁴ expansion in the last three years. Nearly a dozen new airlines started operations, bought new jets, and cut fares to attract tens of thousands of new fliers in a booming economy.

But soaring fuel prices in the past year have pushed up ticket prices, and many passengers are again opting⁵ to travel by train.

As a result, passenger traffic, which grew by 40 percent last year, has plummeted⁶. And there are fears that there will be more empty seats as the global credit crunch⁷ begins to bite India.

The cash-strapped aviation sector now owes state-owned oil companies millions of dollars, and has appealed to the government for a $1 billion loan to tide over the crisis. But Civil Aviation Minister, Praful Patel, says help will not be forthcoming.

"There is no bailout package as everybody is making out, that government is going to write a check of taxpayers⁸ money to an airline," he said. "That has never been the case."

Industry experts say that at least some airlines may shut down, while others may merge⁹ with bigger airlines in a bid to survive the turbulent times.

1 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

2 AIRWAYS   

航空公司

参考例句：

• The giant jets that increasingly dominate the world's airways. 越来越称雄于世界航线的巨型喷气机。
• At one point the company bought from Nippon Airways a 727 jet. 有一次公司从日本航空公司买了一架727型喷气机。

3 inauguration   

n.开幕、就职典礼

参考例句：

• The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。

4 frantic   

adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的

参考例句：

• I've had a frantic rush to get my work done.我急急忙忙地赶完工作。
• He made frantic dash for the departing train.他发疯似地冲向正开出的火车。

5 opting   

v.选择，挑选( opt的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• What courses are most students opting for? 多数学生选什么课程？ 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Wells doesn't rule out opting out and then re-signing with Houston. 威尔斯没有排除跳出合同再与火箭重签的可能。 来自互联网

6 plummeted   

v.垂直落下，骤然跌落( plummet的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Share prices plummeted to an all-time low. 股票价格暴跌到历史最低点。
• A plane plummeted to earth. 一架飞机一头栽向地面。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 crunch   

n.关键时刻；艰难局面；v.发出碎裂声

参考例句：

• If it comes to the crunch they'll support us.关键时刻他们是会支持我们的。
• People who crunch nuts at the movies can be very annoying.看电影时嘎吱作声地嚼干果的人会使人十分讨厌。

8 taxpayers   

纳税人，纳税的机构( taxpayer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Finance for education comes from taxpayers. 教育经费来自纳税人。
• She was declaiming against the waste of the taxpayers' money. 她慷慨陈词猛烈抨击对纳税人金钱的浪费。

9 merge   

v.(使)结合，(使)合并，(使)合为一体

参考例句：

• I can merge my two small businesses into a large one.我可以将我的两家小商店合并为一家大商行。
• The directors have decided to merge the two small firms together.董事们已决定把这两家小商号归并起来。