After several months of suspended operations, Go First is about to take-off again. The local regulators allowed the airline to operate flights following an audit.
According to an announcement by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on July 21, 2023, following a special audit and Go First addressing found issues, the airline is allowed to resume operations. DGCA conducted the special audit at the airline’s facilities in Mumbai and Delhi, India between July 4 and July 6, 2023.
However, Go First’s ability to take off again depends on Delhi’s High Court and National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) approving the plan. If the two juridical institutions approve it, the low-cost carrier will operate 114 daily flights with a fleet of 15 aircraft.
“Go First has been directed to ensure compliance with all the applicable regulatory requirements, ensure continued airworthiness of the aircraft engaged in operations, and subjecting every aircraft to a satisfactory handling flight prior to deployment for flight operations,” the DGCA concluded.
Go First suspended its commercial operations on May 2, 2023, blaming Pratt & Whitney for unreliable engines that negatively affected the airline’s ability to deploy aircraft to serve customers.
Following its voluntary suspension of operations, lessors of aircraft asked the DGCA to deregister their aircraft from the airline’s fleet. The Indian authority’s page still shows that Go First’s Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) has 54 aircraft assigned to the airline, five Airbus A320ceos and 49 A320neos.
According to ch-aviation.com data, Go First still has the 54 aircraft in its fleet, with 72 orders. All 54 aircraft are leased, with China Development Bank (CDB) Leasing having the biggest exposure with 11 Airbus A320neos leased to the airline.
All Go First’s aircraft are powered by the Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engine.