Go First suspends flights on May 3-5: Steps for affected passengers to take

Go First, owned by the Wadia group, made headlines today as it filed for voluntary insolvency with the NCLT due to its struggle with pending payments to oil companies. The airline has suspended flights for May 3, 4, and 5, as it has grounded over half of its planes, citing recurrent issues and non-supply of engines from Pratt & Whitney, which powers its Airbus A320 neo aircraft.

Go First’s website states that the airline has a total of 61 aircraft, including 56 A320neos and five A320ceos. In March, the airline flew 8.95 lakh passengers, according to the latest available data. The DGCA, India’s aviation regulator, has also taken note of the situation and issued a show-cause notice to the airline.

What flyers can do

Reports suggest that Go First, which operated 200 daily domestic flights as of the latest data, will suspend its flights on May 3, 4, and 5. This decision is expected to impact thousands of flyers. Customers who seek to book alternative flights at the last minute are likely to face exorbitant prices, making the suspension a raw deal for them.

Although DGCA rules mandate that airlines issue full refunds to passengers when they cancel flights, in this case, the high cost of last-minute bookings may offer little consolation even if the airline issues a full refund. If you booked your ticket through an agent, you should contact them immediately for a refund and other relevant information. If, on the other hand, you booked directly from the airline, you would need to reach out to their call center for assistance. Go First may contact affected customers, but the process could be delayed, according to industry insiders.

Unless a strategic investor comes on board as per Go First’s original plan, it is unlikely that the airline will quickly resume full operations. The recurring issues will likely cause the airline’s struggles to continue for some time.

In addition to the financial impact, the flight cancellations could also result in a significant reputational cost for the airline.

It is probable that potential customers will now hesitate before purchasing Go First tickets. To entice customers back, the airline may need to reduce fares.

DGCA notice

Go First received a show cause notice from aviation regulator DGCA after it canceled flights on May 3, 4, and 5. The notice requested that the airline provide details of the measures it took to alleviate passengers’ discomfort caused by the flight cancellations on these three days. Moreover, the authorities directed Go First to submit a plan of action outlining its strategy for resuming flights according to the approved schedule starting from May 5th.

Also Read: Indian Aviation News 

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