DGCA to conduct Go First’s audit; asked to submit revival plan

The aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked cash-strapped Go First Airlines to submit a complete restructuring plan to resume its operations. The reports suggest the DGCA has asked Go First to submit the plan in the next 30 days.

The airline is expected to submit all the operational details such as the number of functioning aircraft, and details regarding employees including pilots, maintenance, and funding arrangements.

Upon a review of the restructuring plan by the aviation regulator, an audit of the airline will be conducted to ensure its preparedness before the start of full-scale operations. The airline has also informed its staff the employees will get April month's salaries before the start of the airline's operations and that the upcoming salaries will be credited in the 1st week of every month.

The airline had earlier informed that there is no definite timeline for the resumption of flights. It said the airline didn’t have any definite timeline to start operations yet, and that it has "expressed an intent to resume flight operations at the earliest".

Many reports also say Go First had informed the pilots and crew that the airline will resume operations from May 27, but there was no official announcement. The airline has currently suspended flight operations till May 26.

Earlier this month, Go First, which is part of the Nusli Wadia Group, cancelled all scheduled flights, citing ‘operational reasons,’ and filed for bankruptcy with the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) citing the ever-increasing failure of Pratt & Whitney engines that power its fleet.

On May 8, 2023, the DGCA shot a show-cause notice to Go First, asking why it has failed to carry out operations. The airline has already submitted the reply to the regulator, details of which are not in the public domain.

In its insolvency plea, the beleaguered airline said it grounded 25 aircraft as of May 1, or around 50% of its Airbus A320neo fleet, due to 'failing engines' supplied by Pratt & Whitney's International Aero Engines. The grounding of close to 50% of the airline's A320 neo fleet due to the 'serial failure' of Pratt & Whitney engines has set the airline back by ₹10,800 crore in lost revenues and additional expenses, according to Go First.

The airline said it has been forced to apply to the NCLT after engine supplier Pratt & Whitney refused to comply with an award issued by an emergency arbitrator appointed by the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC). That order directed Pratt & Whitney to release and dispatch without delay at least 10 serviceable spare leased engines to Go First by April 27, 2023, and a further 10 spare leased engines per month until December 2023.