The resignation followed the airline board's meeting in Mumbai on the day to decide on ways to procure interim funding as well as the future role of Goyal.

Sources said Goyal tendered his resignation at the emergency board meeting. "The main agenda, however, is to get interim funding," said a source.

It was expected that after the meeting the State Bank of India, which is the lead lender of the consortium of bankers that lent to the airline, will infuse more funds.

According to industry estimates, Jet's total debt stood at Rs 8,000 crore. The company urgently needed funding to maintain whatever was left of its market shares, even as the airline pilots and crew were said to be approaching other airlines for employment.

The airline's pilots along with engineers and other highly critical segment of employees have not been paid salaries from January 1, sources said, adding only 12.5 per cent of December pay was given.