India tribunal to rule on Go First bankruptcy request as lessors seek to repossess planes

An Indian tribunal will decide on Wednesday on Go Airlines (India) Ltd's bankruptcy request, a notice on the tribunal's website showed, as leasing companies step up pressure to repossess planes following missed rental payments. The low-cost carrier filed for bankruptcy protection last week, blaming "faulty" Pratt & Whitney (P&W) engines for the grounding of about half its 54 Airbus A320neos. P&W, part of Raytheon Technologies, has called the airline's claims "astounding" and without evidence. Widely known as Go First, the Indian carrier has been flying for nearly two decades. If it collapses it would follow Jet Airways which went under in 2019. Go First has argued bankruptcy proceedings are critical to reviving the airline, which it says has suffered as it did not get spare engines from P&W in recent months. The airline leases its fleet of planes and leasing companies have stepped up pressure on Go First by filing requests with Indian aviation authorities to allow them to repossess 36 of Go First's 54 Airbus A320neo planes because the airline has not met rental payments. A bankruptcy protection for Go First could hurt lessors efforts as it would supersede and stall the repossession requests, according to aviation lawyers in India. The Indian government has said it is not inclined to save the airline, which is owned by India's Wadia Group. <br/>