As per the winter schedule published by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the airline has been approved to operate 1390 flight departures per week, a 40% decline from its winter schedule of 2021. The DGCA had approved GoFIRST to operate 2290 flight departures per week in the winter schedule of 2021.
Civil aviation regulator DGCA approves flight departures for airlines in India twice a year under summer and winter schedules. The number of approved flights depends on the number of flight departures that an airline has applied for.
An airline may or may not operate 100% of its approved flight departures but the airlines may lose a route if they don’t implement a minimum of 80% adherence to the route in a period of one year or two seasons.
Data from DGCA suggests that GoFIRST operated over 1500 flight departures per week in the last winter while it was approved to operate 2290 flight departures. However, in the upcoming winter schedule, the airline has applied to operate 1390 flight departures, which is even lesser than its actual operations last winter.
The airline on Friday inducted its 54the A320neo after a gap of nearly 1.5 months.
“As supply issues hamper the engine and aircraft deliveries, the airline may have kept that restriction in mind while deciding on a leaner flight schedule for the winter. Over 20 aircraft were grounded until recently for want of engines," an analyst said.
