SC refuses to give relief to Paramount Airways

The Supreme Court today denied relief to Paramount Airways whose three planes, out of a functional fleet of four, have been grounded by civil aviation regulator DGCA, following dispute with its lessor.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices Deepak Verma and B S Chauhan declined the plea of the Coimbatore-based airlines to stay the DGCA order de-registering the three planes it had taken on lease from GE Capital Aviation Service (GECAS).

“You pay some money to them (lessor)... You will make money from flying those aircraft,” the court said.

During the proceedings, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Paramount, requested the court to allow it to fly the three grounded planes till the next date of hearing.

“According to the Delhi High Court order, DGCA would hear us tomorrow and would pass an order by Monday. Till that period allow us to fly,” he submitted, adding that airlines had 27 per cent market share in South India and its passengers were suffering.

However, it was opposed by senior advocate Harish Salve appearing for the UK-based GECAS and Celestial Aviation Trading, saying they had terminated their agreement in October last year.