Crisis-hit Go First has scaled down its plan for resumption of flights by around 30% compared to its initial proposal. This after an assessment by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) revealed significant loopholes.
The DGCA's audit report revealed that the airline lacks the requisite strength of captains, instructors, engineers, and flight dispatchers to facilitate the proposed scale of operations.
Initially seeking approval to recommence business with 22 aircraft over the next five months, Go First had ambitious plans to soar high again. However, the regulatory audit has forced the airline to reconsider its strategy. To secure the DGCA's green light, Go First must either augment its workforce or scale down the number of flights.
The report also shed light on another hindrance for the airline – insufficient training of pilots for high-altitude operations to destinations like Leh and Thoise. This revelation has posed additional challenges for Go First, which was banking on revenue from military charter flights to these regions as its first step towards resumption. Pilots operating to such elevated terrains require specialized training, which the airline presently lacks.
The airline is now planning to recommence operations with 15-18 aircraft, conducting 130 flights per day. Subsequently, it aims to ramp up to 160 flights daily with 22 aircraft in the following week.
Go First, owned by the Wadia Group, had been in operation for over 17 years before it suspended its services on May 3, faced with financial strains that led it to seek voluntary bankruptcy protection.