India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has requested that Go First (GOW, Mumbai International) submit a comprehensive restart plan within 30 days and ahead of any relaunch of flights.
Indian media report that the regulator wants information on operational aircraft, personnel (including flight crews), maintenance, and finances. The DGCA also told the airline that all salary payments must be up-to-date before any relaunch.
Go First suspended its flights in early May and filed for insolvency, owing various banks INR65.21 billion rupees (USD789 million) and assorted lessors another INR26.6 billion (USD322 billion). The airline blamed its decision to file for insolvency on Pratt & Whitney, whose engine supply challenges have impacted airlines worldwide. Go First has since begun a lawsuit against Pratt & Whitney for INR80 billion rupees (USD968 million).
For its part, Pratt & Whitney are showing no signs of resolving tensions with Go First. Last week, the airline attempted to have a Delaware court enforce a March 2023 Singapore International Arbitration Centre ruling that ordered the regular supply of some engines. However, as reported by Reuters, Pratt & Whitney told the court that the changing circumstances at the airline meant the arbitration order no longer applied.
"Go First's recent bankruptcy filing has radically changed the field of play in terms of Go First's need for relief," said the filing on behalf of Pratt & Whitney. The filing also alleged Go First was an "insolvent airline that materially breached its contractual obligations. Before all of its flights were suspended, around half of Go First's 54-strong fleet of A320neo Family aircraft sat parked due to engine supply issues. Meanwhile, Go First has cancelled all flights through May 30 for "operational reasons."
