Go First lessors' request to repossess planes on hold, not rejected: DGCA

India's aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has reportedly put on hold requests from lessors to repossess planes from cash-strapped airline Go First as the carrier's bankruptcy process imposes a freeze on assets which supersedes such requests, it said in a court filing.

Go First on Tuesday announced that it has extended the suspension of its operations till June 4.

Aircraft lessors - Pembroke Aircraft Leasing 11 Ltd, SMBC Aviation Capital Ltd, Accipiter Investments Aircraft 2 Ltd and EOS Aviation 12 (Ireland) Ltd - on Friday moved the Delhi High Court seeking to de-register their aircraft currently on lease with the Go First. The lessors said it is illegitimate of DGCA to deny deregistration.

The lessors' contention is that Go First has no right to use their aircraft as the leases concerning them have been terminated.

Go Airlines (India) Ltd filed for bankruptcy protection blaming "faulty" Pratt & Whitney engines for the grounding of about half its 54 Airbus A320neos. Pratt, part of Raytheon Technologies, says the claims are without evidence.

DGCA last week advised Go First Airlines to submit a comprehensive restructuring plan for a sustainable revival of operations. A senior DGCA official informed that Go First has submitted their response to a show cause notice, issued on May 8, wherein they have requested that they may be allowed to use the moratorium period to prepare a comprehensive restructuring plan for restarting operations and present the same to DGCA for the requisite regulatory approvals before restarting operations.

In granting protection, the Indian tribunal ordered a freeze on Go First's assets even though some lessors had already terminated leases and placed requests with the aviation regulator to repossess more than 40 planes.

(With agency inputs)