Court Allows Go First Lessors To Engage Security For Aircraft

The Delhi High Court has permitted the lessors of then crisis-hit Go First to engage security personnel round-the-clock for protecting their aircraft that are lying idle for several months.

The court passed an interim order on multiple applications by several lessors seeking maintenance of their aircraft. The lessors have also sought deregistration of their planes by aviation regulator DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) so they could take them back from the airline.

The Court ordered that the DGCA, through the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, permit duly verified security personnel to monitor the aircraft.

In an interim order on July 5, the court had allowed the lessors to inspect their aircraft at least twice a month and carry out maintenance.

It had said there can be no denial of the fact that the aircraft of the petitioner lessors are highly valuable and sophisticated equipment and require maintenance for their preservation.

It had also restrained Go First and its representatives, and the RP appointed by the NCLT, from removing, replacing or taking out any part or components, or records of the 30 aircraft except with the prior written approval of the lessor of the particular airplane.

The court had asked DGCA to permit the lessors, their employees and agents to access the airport, where their aircraft are currently parked, and to inspect them within three days.

Earlier, The NCLT-appointed RP, tasked with managing Go First, had told the high court that returning aircraft to the lessors will render the airline, which has 7,000 employees to look after, "dead".

On May 10, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) had admitted the airline's voluntary insolvency resolution petition and appointed Abhilash Lal as the Interim RP to manage the carrier.

On May 22, the NCLAT upheld the order of the Delhi-based principal bench of NCLT, which had admitted the plea of Go First to initiate voluntary insolvency resolution proceedings, and appointed the IRP to suspend the company's board.

Several lessors approached the aviation regulator for deregistration and repossession of 45 planes they had leased to the carrier.

Go First has stopped flying since May 3.