‘Go First Took My Money, Then Vanished. Why No Protection for Passengers?’

Go First was ordered to return over Rs 500 crore to 15.5 lakh ticketed passengers after the cancellation of flights.

Go First was ordered to return over Rs 500 crore to 15.5 lakh ticketed passengers.

(Image altered by The Quint/Aroop Mishra)

In early May 2023, I booked a Go First flight from Delhi to Pune for 28 May, paying Rs 8,659. Just a few days later, I discovered that the airline had filed for bankruptcy. I was asked to file for a refund, but even after nearly three years, I have yet to receive it.

Some might question why make such a big deal about what seems like a small amount of money. But the issue isn’t about the size of the amount—it's about the safety net we, the customers, have when a company we trusted and paid for a service suddenly shuts down overnight. 

It feels like a system where customers are promised and charged for a service, and that money is used up—only for the company to later declare bankruptcy. The sums involved are small enough that many passengers don’t pursue refunds, and even when they try, the legal process is so complex that most give up.

The Delhi-Pune flight ticket that the passenger booked.

(Accessed by The Quint)

As per media reports, the airline's resolution professional informed the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) that Go First needed to refund roughly Rs 597.54 crore to approximately 15.5 lakh passengers who had booked flights on or after 3 May 2023, the day the airline was grounded.

For millions of Indians, flying is not just a convenience. It’s a carefully planned expense paid with hard-earned money, often saved up over months. And if that hard-earned money vanishes overnight, it pains a lot.

'The Sorry State Of Passenger's Legal Hierarchy'

In May 2023, Go First filed for voluntary insolvency under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), citing severe financial distress and operational challenges, including engine delivery issues.

After nearly 20 months under insolvency resolution proceedings, hopes of rescuing the airline faded. On 20 January last year, the NCLT ordered the liquidation of Go First because no viable revival plan materialised.   

Now, when the company is being liquidated, and its assets are being sold off, creditors are being paid as per the legal hierarchy. Unfortunately, passengers are placed very low in this order after liquidation costs, financial creditors, employee salaries, government taxes, and others. 

As a customer, this makes me question the legal hierarchy itself. The entire service system is created to serve customers, and customers are the main source of revenue, yet when it comes to paying back what is due to them, their turn comes much later in the queue.

'This Isn't The First Time'

The Go First refund crisis is a harsh reminder of how exposed passengers are given it wasn't the first time for an Indian airline to declare bankruptcy. This is not merely a financial setback—it is a question of trust, fairness, and economic justice for those who scrimp and save to travel, whether for work, family, or personal dreams.

We have seen a similar pattern with real estate developers going bankrupt and wiping out the lifetime savings of homebuyers.

That, too, raises serious questions about financial security. When all our income and spending are taxed—including the Go First flight tickets—the government’s role cannot be limited to then collecting taxes without providing any financial security in return.

For many lower-income travellers, Rs 10,000-20,000 per ticket represents a significant portion of their annual disposable income. To lose that amount—especially without a clear resolution—deepens distrust and financial stress. 

(The Quint has reached out to Go First’s liquidator and resolution professional regarding the passenger refund issues raised in this article. Their response is awaited. The article will be updated when a response is received.)

(All 'My Report' branded stories are submitted by citizen journalists to The Quint. Though The Quint inquires into the claims/allegations from all parties before publishing, the report and the views expressed above are the citizen journalist's own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for the same.)