Go First on Wednesday said that its test flights were successful. The airline also hinted that it would resume operations soon. Go First said in a tweet: “Signing the skies again with G8 after a long hopeful wait. We are so happy to tell you that our test runs were successful. A sign that we'll be back on the runway soon”.
The development comes days after the cash-strapped airline informed passengers on Twitter that it has cancelled all its flights till July 25 due to operational reasons. The airline further said: “We apologise for the inconvenience caused by the flight cancellations. We acknowledge the flight cancellations might have disrupted your travel plans and we are committed to providing all the assistance we can”.
Go First said the airline should be able to resume bookings shortly. Go First said: “As you are aware, the company has filed an application for immediate resolution and revival of operations. We will be able to resume bookings shortly. We thank you for your patience”.
This came days after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) granted conditional approval for the airline to resume flights with 15 aircraft or 114 daily flights. The DGCA stated that it accepted the resumption plan by Go First “subject to the outcomes of the writ petitions/applications” before the Delhi High Court and the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT).
In order to resume its flight operations, Go First will be required to comply with regulatory requirements for holding an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) at all times. The airline will have to ensure fitness of all its aircraft engaged in the operations.
The DGCA added Go First’s aircraft will not be deployed for operations without a satisfactory handling flight. The DGCA said that the Resolution Professional working to revive the airline shall submit the proposed flight schedule by factoring in available resources in terms of airworthy aircraft, qualified pilots, cabin crew, AMEs, and flight dispatchers among other prerequisites.
It further said the Resolution Professional should send the proposal for consideration by the civil aviation after making arrangements for resumption of flight operations including interim funding needed for resumption of operations.
In May this year, Go First stopped flight operations after it filed for voluntary bankruptcy before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). In its plea before the NCLT, the carrier alleged that the US-based engine maker Pratt & Whitney was unable to meet its obligations towards the airline, leading to the grounding of a large portion of its fleet.
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