Go First CEO assures staff the airline has 'concern for all employees'

After pursuing voluntary insolvency, Go First's CEO Kaushik Khona wrote a note to his employees saying that the company is concerned about their future and will take “utmost care” of them.

Addressing the staff as "Go Getters", the CEO said, "We want to reassure you that we are doing everything possible to navigate this situation with the utmost care and concern for all employees.”

The CEO’s note also highlighted that the airline has experienced significant setbacks due to Pratt & Whitney's failure to provide engines.

The note read, “The company has been crippled by the recurring Pratt & Whitney engine troubles. Pratt & Whitney's defiance in not supplying spare engines as instructed by the Emergency Arbitrator has ground your company to a halt."

Khosla added that over the past 12 months, Go First management has made repeated efforts to secure spare engines and repair services from the engine supplier. Despite these attempts, the parties have been unable to reach an agreement, leading the airline to initiate emergency arbitration in Singapore.

"With that, the airline would have had all its A320 neo aircraft operational by August/ September 2023. Unfortunately, Pratt & Whitney has chosen to defy the order from the Emergency Arbitrator," he added.

Go First submitted a bankruptcy filing to the National Company Law Tribunal because of escalating losses on Tuesday. The airline attributed its financial collapse to engine producer Pratt & Whitney.

In a statement, Go First explained, "Due to Pratt & Whitney's failure to supply the necessary quantity of spare leased engines in compliance with the emergency arbitrator's directive, Go First is unable to fulfill its financial responsibilities."

In response to the airline's claims, the engine manufacturer stated that Go First has a "lengthy record of non-payment."