Go First has stopped all flights for Wednesday and Thursday
New Delhi:
The aviation regulator DGCA has issued notice to Go First airline after it cancelled all scheduled flights from Wednesday to Friday without informing it. It told the airline to reply within 24 hours.
Airlines have to tell the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) well in advance if they want to cancel all scheduled flights, otherwise it will be a violation of the Civil Aviation Rules.
“No prior intimation has been given to the DGCA for such cancellations, which is non-compliance with conditions for approval of (flight) schedule. Go First has failed to report in writing the cancellations and the reasons,” the DGCA said in the notice.
Go First today announced it has stopped all flights due to a severe funds shortage and blamed US aviation firm Pratt & Whitney (P&W) for “ever-increasing number of failing engines”, which has to the airline grounding 25 aircraft or 50 per cent of its Airbus A320neo fleet.
The Wadia Group-owned airline has also filed for insolvency with the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in Delhi.
The DGCA in the notice asked Go First what steps the airline plans to take to ensure passengers who have booked flights for Wednesday and Thursday do not face inconvenience.
The airline in a statement posted on its website said it will refund for the cancelled tickets.
Go First in another statement said a Singapore arbitrator ordered P&W to supply at least 10 serviceable spare leased engines by April 27, 2023 and 10 more engines – one each per month – by December this year. But P&W has not followed the order, the airline alleged.
Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia confirmed that the airline has been facing critical supply chain issues with the engines, adding the government has been helping the airline in every possible way.
“It is unfortunate that this operational bottleneck has dealt a blow to the airline’s financial position. It has come to our knowledge that the airline has applied to the NCLT. It is prudent to wait for the judicial process to run its course,” Mr Scindia said in a statement.
He said the airline should make other travel arrangements for passengers so that inconvenience is minimal.
