NEW DELHI: The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) will on Monday hear the appeal filed by three Go First lessors — SMBC Aviation Capital Ltd, SFV Aircraft Holdings and GY Aviation Lease Court Ltd — challenging the order passed by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) of interim moratorium and insolvency resolution proceedings.
The NCLAT on Friday deferred the matter pertaining to Go First lessors’ petition seeking a stay on a bankruptcy court order allowing voluntary insolvency of the low-cost airline to Monday.
On May 10, the NCLT admitted Go First’s plea for voluntary insolvency and initiation of Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) proceedings. The NCLT has granted Go First protection under a moratorium from recovery by lessors and lenders.
The NCLT, in its order, said, “We admit the plea of Go First airlines for insolvency proceedings and we appoint Abhilash Lal as IRP (insolvency resolution professional). The suspended board of directors will cooperate with the IRP. Suspended directors are also ordered to deposit Rs 5 crore to make the immediate expenses”, the order stated.
The budget airline had also cancelled all the flights’ operations till May 19 due to operational reasons. “Go First flights are cancelled until May 19, 2023. We apologise for the inconvenience caused to our customers” the airline had said.
US-based jet manufacturers Pratt and Whitney (P-W) has defended itself against the budget airline’s claim that it is responsible for the financial condition and bankruptcy. “Go First’s allegations that Pratt and Whitney is responsible for its financial condition are without merit. Pratt and Whitney will vigorously defend itself against Go’s claims, and is pursuing its own legal recourse,” a Pratt and Whitney spokesperson said.
The airline, owned by the troubled Wadia Group, had earlier blamed P-W for the faulty engines that led to its ongoing financial crisis and it was later forced to file an involuntary bankruptcy petition. (ANI)