The Delhi High Court has dealt a significant blow to the airline Go First, ordering the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to dispose of the deregistration applications of the leased aircraft within five days. Furthermore, the court has also banned Go First from operating these planes, putting the airline in jeopardy.
The High Court released this mandate for Go First on Friday. Within the next five working days, DGCA must proceed with the deregistration of the planes leased by Go First, and according to the court's decision, the lessors can reclaim their aircraft.
All 54 aircraft registrations ordered to be revoked
The court has issued an order to cancel the registration of all 54 aircraft involved in the case. Additionally, Go First has been prohibited from operating these planes, which may lead to the airline losing its entire fleet and shattering any hopes of recovery.
Lessor's applications prompted directive
Notably, this directive comes after aircraft lessors Pembroke Aviation, Excelsior Investments Aircraft 2, EOS Aviation, and SMBS Aviation approached the Delhi High Court in May 2023, seeking permission to retrieve their aircraft. Initially, DGCA stated that it couldn't release the aircraft due to a stay, but later awaited the court's decision.
Two bids placed for Go First acquisition
During this legal battle in court, SpiceJet head Ajay Singh's group and Sharjah-based Sky One filed bids to acquire Go First. Ajay Singh and Busy Bee Airways offered INR 1,600 crores for the airline, but creditors have not yet decided which offer to accept.
