New Delhi: Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will conduct an audit of Go First’s preparedness ahead of approving the resumption of flights operations of the crisis-riddled airline, stated the airline’s head of operations to its staff.
Cash-strapped Go First has suspended its flight operations since May 3 and is undergoing voluntary insolvency resolution proceedings. A senior official of the DGCA said that the airline has submitted its response to the regulator’s show cause notice, indicating that it is working out modalities for relaunching the flights at the earliest.
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“The DGCA will conducting an audit to check our preparedness in the coming days. Once approved by the regulator, we would be soon commencing operations,” said the airline in a communication to the staff.
Go First’s head of operations Ranjit Ranjan praised the Union ministry of civil aviation’s (MoCA) gesture and said that the government has been very supportive and has asked the airline to commence operations as soon as possible.
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Regarding the Go First’s plan of resuming its operation, civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia on Wednesday said, “We have not receive anything from Go First yet… when we do receive (the plan for restarting flights), the DGCA will certainly apply its mind, look at the safety protocols and based on that take a decision”. Scindia said this on the sidelines of industry body CII’s annual session in the national capital.
The airline, meanwhile, said the chief executive officer (CEO) has assured that salaries for April will be credited to their accounts before the commencement of operations. “Further, from the coming month, the salary will be paid in the 1st wee of every month,” it added.
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The DGCA had on May 8 issued a show cause notice to the budget airline under the relevant provisions of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, for its failure to continue the operation of the service in a safe, efficient and reliable manner. The airline has submitted its reply to the show cause notice.
Go First, on May 2, announced filing the plea for voluntary insolvency resolution proceedings as well as suspension of flights, initially for two days—May 3 & 4. At that time also, DGCA had issued a show cause notice to Go First for cancelling flights for May 3 and 4 ‘without any prior intimation”. The airline has cancelled all its flights till May 26.
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On Monday, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) upheld NCLT’s decision to admit Go First’s plea for voluntary insolvency resolution proceedings. The ruling had come on petitions filed by four lessors opposing the insolvency resolution proceedings of the airline.
