Indian low-cost carrier Go First is facing an increasing bleak future.
The airline, which entered insolvency proceedings and suspended all flights back in May 2023, has now announced the postponement of the resumption of operations until at least February 4, 2024.
In July 2023, Go First was given the green light to resume operations by India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the country’s aviation authority. However, this comeback never materialized.
Now, Go First is also fighting a court battle to prevent part of its fleet being returned to lessors, who fear that the carrier may be unable to keep the aircraft properly maintained. The airline is in talks with four lessors to find a solution to this matter, with a court hearing scheduled for December 20, 2023.
Several lessors recently accused Go First of cannibalizing parts from some of the aircraft it has in storage and requested that its aircraft be stripped of their registration.
These developments follow the resignation of Go First CEO, Kaushik Khona, on November 30, 2023, after the airline failed to attract any bids from potential investors. This brought to an end Khona’s second stint at the helm of Go First, having been its CEO between 2008 and 2011 before taking the reins of the airline again in 2020.