New Delhi: India’s civil aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has conditionally accepted a resumption plan submitted by cash-strapped Go First. This means that the airline, which had been non-operational since the beginning of May, will finally be able to resume its flight operations.
In its notification on 21 July, the DGCA said there were certain conditions to Go First resuming operations — including that the airlines must make interim funding available for operations and get its flight schedule approved by the regulator.
Additionally, the airline has been directed to ensure compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements, ensure continued airworthiness of the aircraft engaged in operations and subject every aircraft to a satisfactory handling of an aircraft prior to deployment for operations, the notification said.
ThePrint has accessed a copy of the notification.
Go First had grounded all its flights on 2 May, and a day later, filed for insolvency citing issues with the engines supplied by Pratt & Whitney. The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) had granted the airline a moratorium from financial obligations while also approving the appointment of Shailendra Ajmera as the Resolution Professional (RP) for Go First.
A statement issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation Friday said that the RP had presented a resumption plan to it on 28 June, following which a special audit of Go First facilities was conducted “with a focus on safety related aspects and continued compliance of the requirements by an operator to hold an Air Operator Certificate as well as on the physical verification of the arrangements made for resumption of flight operations”.
It added that the DGCA has ensured that the airline has adequately addressed the problems identified in the special audit. “Further, the resumption plan…for operating 15 aircraft/ 114 daily flights, has been reviewed and accepted by DGCA,” the statement said.
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DGCA’s conditions
In the notification, the DGCA has stated that “…the proposed resumption plan dated 28.06.2023, amended vide communication dated 15.07.2023, has been examined by this office and the same is accepted by the Competent Authority, subject to the outcome of the writ petitions/applications pending before the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi & Hon’ble NCLT, Delhi”.
It added that Go First, as a going concern, could commence flight operations subject to its conditions — including compliance of all applicable regulatory requirements for holding an air operator certification, continuing airworthiness of the aircraft engaged in operations, and no aircraft deployment without undertaking a satisfactory flight handling.
Aircraft or flight handling means the servicing of an aircraft while it’s on the ground at an airport. An air operator’s certificate is an approval granted by a civil aviation authority that allows an operator to operate its aircraft for commercial purposes.
The DGCA notification said it should be promptly notified about any change in the company that had a bearing on the resumption plan.
It added that the RP “shall submit the proposed flight schedule, commensurate with the available resources in terms of airworthy aircraft, qualified pilots, cabin crew, AMEs, flight dispatchers etc. for the consideration of DGCA after making requisite arrangements for commencement of scheduled flight operations, including the interim funding required for resumption of operations”.
The DGCA said that scheduled flight operations could commence only after the required interim funding is available, adding that tickets could go on sale only after the regulator approves the flight schedule.
“The flight operations shall be subject to the proceedings and/or outcomes in the ongoing CIRP at NCLT, Delhi and other writ petitions/applications by the Lessors of aircraft leased to Go First, which are pending in the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi and NCLT, Delhi,” it added.
Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process, or CIRP, is the process of resolving insolvency of a corporate debtor in accordance with the Indian Bankruptcy Code.
(Edited by Uttara Ramaswamy)
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