Fan blades, engine parts go missing from Go First jets, lessor says

BOC Aviation

26/08/2023 11:00

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      India's Go First, lessors fighting over plane recoveries
    

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      Lessors want planes, Go assets frozen due to bankruptcy
process
    

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      Go aims to revive operations, fleet grounded for now
    

  
    By Aditi Shah and Aditya Kalra
       NEW DELHI, Aug 26 (Reuters) - From fan blades to escape
slides, critical parts are missing from at least two planes of
India's bankrupt Go First airline, its Ireland-based lessor ACG
Aircraft Leasing has told a court as it seeks to recover
aircraft.
    Go First and many of its foreign lessors have been locked in
a legal dispute for months after the airline was granted
bankruptcy protection in India in May. Bankruptcy froze its
assets and has prohibited the recovery of more than 50 grounded
Airbus  AIR.PA  planes. 
    The lessors have so far unsuccessfully argued in Indian
courts to get their planes back, citing concerns that parts
could go missing and hurt their assets. Lessors are allowed only
occasional inspection of Go First planes.
    ACG is seeking to take back planes by highlighting that
inspections showed parts were missing, but the court has yet to
decide on the matter, a person familiar with the case said on
Saturday.
        In a non-public filing dated July 28 and reviewed by
Reuters, ACG submitted pictures and details to the Delhi High
Court, listing missing parts from two Airbus A320 planes it
inspected.
    These included the captain's "side stick" used to fly the
aircraft, a tiller that helps steer it while on the ground,
engine fan blades that were "completely missing", a partly
missing toilet seat and an escape slide that had been removed.
    The filing does not say who took out the parts or how they
went missing.
    Go First, whose lessors also include Standard Chartered's
Pembroke Aircraft Leasing, SMBC Aviation and BOC Aviation, did
not respond to a request for comment. It has previously said it
aims to resume operations and raise investor funds, but the
operations remain grounded.
        The world's second-largest aircraft lessor, SMBC, warned
in May that India's decision to block leasing firms from
reclaiming Go planes would jolt the market and spark a
confidence crisis.
    Go blames its financial woes on problems with engines from
Raytheon-owned  RTX.N  Pratt & Whitney. The U.S. engine maker
has said the claims are "without merit".

 (Reporting by Aditi Shah and Aditya Kalra; Editing by William
Mallard)
 ((aditya.kalra@thomsonreuters.com;))