New Delhi: Wadia Group-owned Go First filing for insolvency has left the airline’s employees and customers in a lurch amid no clear communication from the company.
While Go First in a Twitter post Tuesday said it canceled all flights for 3, 4 and 5 May due to operational reasons, the company’s website is now not showing flights for up till 15 May.
A look at the Twitter handle of the low-cost airline shows multiple queries related to status of flights from 6 May onwards as well as the refund process and timelines.
Customers have also complained about a lack of communication, mostly about the flights that were cancelled. For most of these queries, the airlines’ standard reply on Twitter is
to visit the website or use its chatbot for information about flight schedules, or contact customer care centres.
No timeline is available as of now about refunds to air passengers whose flights were cancelled.
Meanwhile, Go First CEO Kaushik Khona told Reuters in an interview that the airline owner is completely committed to the company, and has no plans to exit it.
But, Go First employees are jittery over their future even as the CEO Wednesday tried to assure them that the company is doing its best to navigate the current situation.
Go First employs about 5,000 people, as per aviation industry estimates.
ThePrint reached out to Go First and to Khona, but did not receive a statement till the time of publication. This report will be updated if and when a response is received.
A pilot with Go First told The Print that Khona has “reassured us that they are doing everything possible to navigate this situation”.
“We, however, are concerned about the present condition and our future with the airline as the whole insolvency proceedings is a time taking exercise. The CEO has also told us that they will be in a better position to convey future action plans after the management receives orders from the tribunal,” the pilot said.
Another employee highlighted that even as they were aware that the company’s financial situation is not the best place as salaries were frequently delayed, the move to file for bankruptcy took everyone by surprise.
On Tuesday, Go First had announced that it was forced to file for insolvency proceedings to protect the interests of all stakeholders, putting the blame on American firm Pratt & Whitney for supplying faulty engines.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
(This is an updated version of the report)
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