Cash-strapped Go First Extends Flight Cancellations Till June 16 Due to 'Operational Reasons'

Cash-strapped Go First on Tuesday announced the cancellation of its flights till June 16. The Wadia Group-owned airline stopped flying from May 3 and since then it is extending flight cancellations.

Meanwhile, lenders of Go First, which is undergoing voluntary insolvency resolution process, have set up the Committee of Creditors (CoC) and a new resolution professional is likely to be appointed early next week, a source said on Friday, PTI reported.

Go First’s plea for voluntary insolvency resolution proceedings was admitted by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) on May 10.

With the CoC in place, the process for revival of the grounded airline is likely to gain speed. The source said the deadline for constituting the CoC was June 9.

“The representatives from all four banks — Bank of Baroda, Central Bank of India, IDBI and Deutsche Bank — visited Go First office on Friday and after a meeting, they set up the CoC.

“They discussed various aspects with Go First executives and the ways to proceed further,” the source privy to the development told PTI.

According to the source, the new resolution professional is expected to be appointed on June 12, and the lenders have suggested one name each from KPMG and EY.

“The CoC is now expected to take up the revival plan for Go First and once it is cleared, the same will be submitted to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA),” the source said.

Earlier this month, the airline submitted a revival plan to the DGCA under which it has proposed to resume operations with a fleet of 26 aircraft — 22 for active operations and 4 in reserve — and 152 daily flights.

“We are hopeful of getting the DGCA approval as well after the CoC gives its go ahead for the revival plan,” the source said.

The CoC is a key part of the insolvency resolution process.

Further, the source said the airline will require around Rs 400 crore of capital infusion.

(With PTI inputs)