The delayed delivery of Pratt & Whitney engine-powered Airbus A320 Neo planes along with regulatory approvals has affected GoAir’s plans for international operations, which are expected to commence only early next year, an airline source said.
The Wadia group-promoted budget airline had received government’s nod to go overseas in August last year with approvals to fly to nine international markets — China, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Maldives and Qatar.
“The whole thing is delayed because of the delay in deliveries of aircraft due to Pratt and Whitney (P&W) engine challenges,” a senior official of the airline told PTI.
The Mumbai-based airline had last week announced the induction of four A320s in its fleet, which has now grown to 31 aircraft.
GoAir was aiming to have 37 planes in operations by the fiscal-end, the airline’s Chief Executive Officer Wolfgang Prock-Schauer said earlier this year.
Significantly, GoAir’s Managing Director Jeh Wadia had in August said that his airline “plans to start overseas operations from October.”