A division bench of the Delhi High Court on Wednesday rejected an appeal by Go First’s Resolution Professional (RP) against a single bench order which granted lessors the right to conduct regular inspections of 30 aircraft and their components. Upholding the decision, the court permitted the lessors to continue inspections while allowing Go First to maintain the aircraft.
The division bench asked the single bench presided by Justice Tara Vitasta Ganju to expedite the case. Additionally, the bench granted the parties the permission to file an application to advance the hearing before Justice Ganju, which is currently scheduled for August 3.
Resumption plan
The court also directed the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to proceed with the evaluation of Go First’s resumption plan, taking into consideration the concerns and arguments presented by the lessors. This directive was made based on the DGCA’s statement that it would require at least 15 days to grant the necessary permissions for Go First to resume its operations.
Meanwhile, sources said that the DGCA has submitted its special audit report to Go First along with asking for additional clarifications only post which, the airline will be given a go ahead to operate and apply for slots.
Earlier reports from BusinessLine highlighted the need for clarity regarding the airline’s ability to maintain its fleet, ensure an adequate supply of spare parts, and have sufficient personnel.
On July 5, a single-judge bench of the Delhi High Court authorised the lessors to inspect and conduct maintenance work on their 30 leased aircraft and their components twice a month. The court order explicitly prohibited Go First’s resolution professionals and employees from removing, replacing, or tampering with any part or component of the leased aircraft without the explicit permission of the lessors.
The aircraft lessors, including Pembroke Aviation, Accipiter Investments Aircraft 2 Ltd, EOS Aviation, and SMBC Aviation, had approached the Delhi High Court seeking instructions to reclaim the planes leased to Go First, as the airline currently faces financial distress.