Go First cancels all its flights till May 9

Cash-strapped airline Go First announced on Thursday that it has cancelled flights until May 9 due to operational reasons.

"We regret to inform that due to operational reasons, Go First flights scheduled till 9th May 2023 have been cancelled... A full refund will be issued to the original mode of payment shortly," the airline said in an update on its website.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had issued a show cause notice to the airline after it suddenly decided to cancel flights for three days starting May 3.

"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," the regulator said in a statement.

After examining the reply filed by Go First, the watchdog has issued an order "under the prevailing regulations directing them to process the refunds to passengers as per the timelines specifically stipulated in the relevant regulation".

The regulator also said it is committed to minimising passenger inconvenience in view of the abrupt decision by Go First to suspend their scheduled operations without any prior intimation.

The move came after Go First, which has around 5,000 employees, filed an application for voluntary insolvency resolution proceedings before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), as confirmed by its CEO Kaushik Khona.