HIGH COURT ORDERS DGCA TO IMMEDIATELY PROCESS GO FIRST’S LESSORS’ APPLICATIONS FOR AIRCRAFT DEREGISTRATION

The Delhi High Court instructed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday to promptly handle the applications submitted by numerous lessors to deregister their 54 aircraft, allowing them to retrieve the planes from the financially troubled Go First airline.

The high court stated that the process must be completed within five working days.

Justice Tara Vitasta Ganju additionally prohibited the resolution professional (RP) appointed under the insolvency law, as well as the airline’s directors, from relocating or removing any aircraft, spare parts, documents, records, or other materials.

High Court orders prompt processing of deregistration applications

The court directed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to promptly process the deregistration applications submitted for the 54 aircraft within a maximum of five working days.

The High Court ordered that the DGCA, AAI, and their assigned representatives must assist the lessors involved and ensure they are granted access to the airports.

It also stated that the lessors are authorized to export the aircraft in accordance with the relevant rules and regulations.

The DGCA should facilitate the export of aircraft by providing export certificates and all necessary documents, it said.

The High Court issued its judgment on petitions filed by multiple lessors, who sought the deregistration of their planes by the aviation regulator DGCA, enabling them to reclaim the aircraft from the airline.

Following the verdict, counsel for certain respondents requested the court to temporarily suspend its directives for a week.

In this context, the judge declined the request and essentially suggested that if they wished to suspend the directives, they should seek recourse in another court.

Multiple aircraft lessors of Go First had previously petitioned the single judge, seeking deregistration of their planes by the aviation regulator DGCA, thereby allowing them to retrieve the aircraft from the airline.

On May 10, 2023, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) accepted the airline’s voluntary insolvency resolution petition and designated an interim resolution professional to oversee the management of the carrier.

2024-04-26T14:58:18Z dg43tfdfdgfd