DGCA Approves Go First's Plan to Restart Operations with Certain Conditions

Aviation regulator DGCA on Friday said it has approved Go First’s plan to restart operations with 15 aircraft and 114 daily flights with a host of conditions, including the availability of required interim funding.

The Mumbai-based carrier Go First, which stopped flying on May 3, is undergoing an insolvency resolution process, and it has cancelled all its flights till July 23.

In a release, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said the airline’s resumption plan for operating 15 aircraft and 114 daily flights has been reviewed and accepted.

“The acceptance is subject to the outcome of the writ petitions/ applications pending before the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi & Hon’ble NCLT, Delhi,” it said.

It may be mentioned that the airline’s resolution professional in late June submitted a plan to resume operations with 26 aircraft, including four in reserve, and 160 flights per day.

However, after a special audit of the airline’s facilities in New Delhi and Mumbai earlier this month and additional information sought by the DGCA, Go First revised its resumption plan, thereby reducing both the fleet and daily flights substantially.

“Go First as a going concern may commence flight operations subject to (certain) conditions…,” the DGCA said in a communication to the Go First Resolution Professional Shailendra Ajmera.

The airline will comply with all the applicable regulatory requirements for holding an Air Operator Certificate and will ensure the airworthiness of the aircraft engaged in operations, the DGCA said in the communication.

It also said that Resolution Professional will submit the proposed flight schedule, commensurate with the available resources in terms of airworthy aircraft, qualified pilots, cabin crew, aircraft maintenance engineers, and flight dispatchers, among others for the consideration of DGCA, after making requisite arrangements for commencement of scheduled flight operations, including the interim funding required for resumption of operations.

Besides, the airline will be allowed to start bookings for its flight only after the DGCA approves its flight schedule as per the communication.

The airline’s Resolution Professional (RP) submitted the resumption plan to DGCA on June 28, and subsequently, the regulator conducted a special audit of the carrier’s facilities in Mumbai and Delhi.

On July 10, Go First Resolution Professional invited Expressions of Interest (EOI) from the prospective buyers for the airline to expedite the sale process.

The deadline for submitting EoIs is August 9, and the final list of prospective resolution applicants will be declared on August 19, according to a public notice.