Go First (India) inducted its 55th A320neo, increasing its total fleet to now comprises of 60 aircraft, of which 55 are A320neo and five are A320s.

 Go First (India)

India's Go First parks a fifth of fleet due to engine delays

 

Go First (G8, Mumbai Int'l) has put around twelve of its fifty-two A320-200Ns in long-term storage as it awaits delayed redeliveries of upgraded Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engines, The Economic Times daily has reported.

The Indian low-cost carrier, formerly known as GoAir, sent the powerplants to the manufacturer in January 2022, hoping to receive spare engines on an interim basis. The upgrades themselves were due to take around five months. Sources indicated that the airline did not receive the spare engines, while the redeliveries of the upgraded units were delayed and are currently expected by mid-July.

The ch-aviation fleets advanced module shows that Go First operates fifty-two A320-200Ns and five A320-200s. Only the A320neo generation aircraft are affected by the PW1100G engine issues.

Rival IndiGo Airlines (6E, Delhi Int'l) completed the upgrade of all of its PW1100G engines by the end of August 2020, although it has since changed the engine supplier for its newly delivered A320neo Family aircraft to CFM International. The Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) barred all operations of the non-upgraded PW1100G powerplants as of September 1, 2020, although the deadline was later extended for Go First.

ch aviati

GoAir rebrands: Go First

Preparing for its next phase of growth, Indian carrier GoAir has announced it will rebrand into Go First. Also part of the next phase is the transitioning of the airline into a ultra low-cost carrier, which means even less amenities included in the ticket-price and more of these available for an additional fee.

GoAir was founded in 2005 and currently has a fleet of seven A320s and 48 A320neos. It has its main base at Mumbai, with additional important hubs at Bengaluru, Delhi, Kolkata and Kannur. It flies to a total of 38 destinations. The airline is owned by the Wadia Group, the country's oldest conglomeration.

Illustration by Go First.

Scramble

GoAir mulls launch of European flights

GoAir has expressed an interest in launching flights to Europe, it has been revealed.

The Economic Times reported an official at India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation as saying that the low-cost carrier could start flying to Europe and other international destinations from next year.

“GoAir has expressed its intent to fly overseas from next calendar year. It has indicated some regions,” the ministry’s Secretary RN Choubey, was quoted saying by the newspaper. The other destinations are reported to be in the Middle East.

The airline recently became eligible to fly overseas with the induction of its 20th aircraft. If the government approves its plans, GoAir would become the first Indian LCC to fly to Europe.

The airline currently operates a fleet of single-aisle Airbus A320s, which would be unable to operate direct European flights. But Choubey was reported saying that GoAir could operate “hopping flights” which operate via other destinations.

Travel News /Mark Elliott - Photo:Alain Charpentier  -TLS