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Go First yet to give a timeline on flight resumption: DGCA officials
DGCA officials said that Go First has responded to their notice and expressed an intent to resume operations at the earliest
The cash-strapped Go First, which abruptly stopped operations from May 3, has not given a timeline to resume flight operations, aviation regulator the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said on Tuesday.
“The airline has responded to our notice and there has been no definite timelines for resumption yet,” said a DGCA official, who did not want to be named. However, officials said that the airline had expressed an intent to resume operations at the earliest.
Go First’s plea for voluntary insolvency resolution proceedings was filed on May 2 and it suspended its operations on May 3 and has announced to keep it suspended till May 26.
On Friday, a section of media had claimed that Go First could resume operations from May 27, citing an e-mail to pilots informing them about a refresher course. The reports had also stated that the airline would operate with a handful of aircraft to destinations like Delhi, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad.
Go First spokesperson did not comment on the matter.
The regulator, on May 8, had issued a show cause notice to the airline due to the sudden cancellation of flights and initiation of corporate insolvency resolution process. It also asked them to stop the booking ad sale of tickets directly or indirectly, with immediate effect. “The DGCA continues to disallow the airline from selling tickets,” a second official told HT.
DGCA has issued a show cause notice to Go First under the Aircraft Rules, 1937, for their failure to continue the operation of the service in a “safe, efficient and reliable manner.”
DGCA had asked the regulator to submit their reply within 15 days of the receipt of the notice. It had also warned them about their further course of action and decision on the continuation of their Air Operators Certificate (AOC ) based on the reply submitted.
The government, however, said that it was hopeful about the revival of the airline by the end of the month.
Civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday said that the government wants resumption of flights as soon as possible. He also said that the government had impressed upon Prat & Whitney that India needed to have the planes up and running.
