Lessors have applied for deregistration of 54 Go First planes: Centre to Rajya Sabha

New Delhi [India], July 24 (ANI): Lessors have sought the deregistration of 54 aircraft of Go First and aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is closely monitoring the situation since the airline announced the cancellation of flights in May, the government said on Monday.

In a written reply to Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Civil Aviation V K Singh said the DGCA has received applications from lessors for the deregistration of a total number of 54 aircraft leased to Go First.
Notably, the application processing depends on the case outcome before the National Company Law Tribunal, Delhi, and the Delhi High Court.

However, Go First submitted a resumption plan to DGCA for operating with 150 flights daily with 26 aircraft.

Cash-strapped budget carrier Go First stopped flying on May 3 and is undergoing a voluntary insolvency resolution process.

“In the last five years, 358 aircraft have been deregistered. Of these 358 aircraft, Indigo had a total of 123 aircraft followed by Jet Airways with 103 aircraft, Spicejet with 55 aircraft, and Air India with 26 aircraft,” he told the Upper House.

The minister also said the regulator has been closely monitoring the situation since Go First on May 2 announced the cancellation of their flights and their application for insolvency filed under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016 (IBC).

The minister further said that in the wake of the suspension of operations by Go First, airlines have been advised to self-regulate the airfares and maintain reasonable price levels and also to introduce new flights in the sectors that had a substantial number of Go First flights.

Singh further said a total number of 358 leased aircraft have been removed from the Indian Civil Aircraft registry since January 2018 till date.

“In the domestic aviation sector, from January 2023 till June 2023, Indigo carried the maximum number of passengers with 4,43,15,982 followed by Air India with 69,39,466, Vistara with 66,35,719 and Air Asia with 57,77,584. Overall 7,61,03,790 passengers travelled domestically from January 2023 to June 2023,” he added.

Talking about the international aviation sector, from January 2023 till June 2023, he said that Indigo carried the maximum number of passengers with 50,99,037, followed by Air India with 38,61,771, and Air India Express with 23,37,680.

“Overall 1,36,32,621 passengers travelled internationally from January 2023 to June 2023,” Singh said.