Go First Cancels Flights Until Tuesday, Regulator Issues "Refund" Order

Cash-strapped low-cost carrier Go Firston Thursday announced it was cancelling all flights until Tuesday as the country's aviation regulator asked it to refund passengers who were affected by its flight cancellations this week. The airline has also suspended the sale of tickets until May 15.

The airline, formerly known as GoAir, abruptly suspended its operations on Wednesday, a day after declaring insolvency, leaving many passengers stranded and frustrated at various airports across the country.

The move prompted a notice from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). "Go First has intimated that they have suspended sale of their flights till 15 May 2023 and are working to refund or reschedule for future dates, the passengers already booked to fly with them," it said.

The watchdog also issued an order "directing them to process the refunds to passengers as per the timelines specifically stipulated in the relevant regulation".

The country's third-largest airline has blamed Pratt & Whitney's "faulty" engines, which it uses on its Airbus 320 neo aircraft, for the collapse, amid fierce competition in the sector led by its largest rival IndiGo and Tata Group-owned Air India.

The airline said in a statement that it had to cancel flights due to "unforeseen operational issues" and that it was offering full refunds or rebooking options to the passengers.

But many passengers complained that they were not informed about the cancellations and had to pay exorbitant fares to book alternative flights with other airlines.

Priyanka Agrawal, a passenger who was supposed to fly from New Delhi to Patna on Wednesday, said she had to cancel her meetings and her return flight because of Go First's abrupt decision.

"They have zero support system. I had my meetings lined up in Patna," she told ANI. "Because of this, the fares of IndiGo flights to Patna went up to around Rs 19,000. Now, who will compensate?"

Harender Singh, another passenger who booked his ticket with Go First, said he left Meerut around 3 am on Wednesday to catch his flight from New Delhi, but after reaching the airport he found out that his flight had been cancelled.

"No one is ready to say anything clearly," he said.

Some passengers who had planned a holiday to Leh, a popular tourist destination in the Himalayas, said they had to cancel their entire trip because of Go First's cancellations.

The airline's counters at some airports, such as Chennai and Mumbai, wore a deserted look on Wednesday as no passengers had lined up. Officials from Go First claimed they had informed all the passengers who had booked their tickets about the cancellations.