'Go First' crisis hits Kannur International Airport; Here's How

Go First operated four times a week from Kannur to Muscat, three times to Kuwait, and twice to Dammam. 

Kannur: Since cash-strapped Go First Airline stopped operating, just a few services are now available from Kannur Airport. With this, Kannur has become an airport that has services by only two airlines. 

'Go First' conducted eight daily services to Kannur from Gulf Nations. Now only Air India Express and IndiGo are operating services at the Kannur International Airport. However, they serve only domestic services. 

Go First operated four times a week from Kannur to Muscat, three times to Kuwait, and twice to Dammam. Only Go First operated flights from Kannur to Kuwait and Dammam.

Along with Go First, Air India also operated the service, but it was eventually discontinued because foreign airlines were not permitted to run it. As Kannur is not a metro city, the Centre refused to give foreign airlines permission to operate there.

Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) directed crisis-hit Go First to cease selling tickets with immediate effect until further instructions. The DGCA asked the airline to "stop booking & sale of tickets directly/indirectly, with immediate effect until further orders". The aviation regulator also issued show cause notice to the airline for their failure to continue operations in a safe, efficient, and reliable manner.

“In view of the sudden cancellation of flights and initiation of the corporate insolvency resolution process under Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) by Go Airlines (India) Limited (Go First), DGCA has issued a show cause notice to Go First under the relevant provisions of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, for their failure to continue the operation of the service in a safe, efficient and reliable manner,” said a senior DGCA official.

The offer of tickets has been stopped until May 15 by Go First, which has been operating flights for more than 17 years.

Meanwhile, Go First is seeking to raise funds, and owners of the Wadia Group are in talks to either sell a majority stake or exit the company completely. The airline posted its biggest annual loss in fiscal 2022.