Day after Go First filed for bankruptcy, staff jittery even as CEO says ‘doing everything possible’

New Delhi: A day after Go First filed for bankruptcy, its employees are jittery over their future even as CEO Kaushik Khona Wednesday assured them that the company is doing its best to navigate the current situation.

While the budget air carrier in a Twitter post said that it has canceled all flights for 3, 4 and 5 May due to operational reasons, its website is now not showing flights for up till 15 May.

Go First employs about 5,000 people, as per aviation industry estimates.

A pilot with Go First told The Print that Khona has “reassured us that they are doing everything possible to navigate this situation”.

“We, however, are concerned about the present condition and our future with the airline as the whole insolvency proceedings is a time-taking exercise. The CEO has also told us that they will be in a better position to convey future action plans after the management receives orders from the tribunal,” the pilot said.

The Print reached out to Go First and to Khona, but did not receive a statement till the time of publication. This report will be updated if and when a response is received.

Another employee highlighted that even as they were aware that the company’s financial situation is not the best place as their salaries were frequently delayed, the move to file for bankruptcy has taken everyone by surprise.

Meanwhile, Khona told Reuters in an interview that Go First’s owner is completely committed to the company, and has no plans to exit it.

The low-cost airline had said that it was forced to file an application with the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for insolvency to protect the interests of all stakeholders “due to the ever-increasing number of failing engines supplied by Pratt & Whitney”.  

(Edited by Tony Rai)

Also Read: US engine-maker flags Go First’s ‘lengthy history’ of non-payment after being blamed for insolvency