Ind-Ra downgrades GoAir’s rating to BBB-plus, maintains RWN

New Delhi: India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) has downgraded low-cost carrier Go Airlines India Ltd (Go Air) long-term issuer rating to BBB-plus from A-minus while maintaining it on rating watch negative.

This includes limit of Rs 1,000 crore fully inter-changeable between fund-based and non-fund-based facilities.

Ind-Ra said the downgrade reflects decline in Go Air’s operating performance in FY20 and the likelihood of further deterioration in the same in FY21 along with a weakening of liquidity profile following the Covid-19 outbreak and associated lockdown.

“The rating watch negative reflects the lack of adequate clarity on Go Air’s liquidity profile, given the impact on the revenue profile due to low passenger traffic and the likelihood of staggered increase in passenger traffic over the near-term coupled with high fixed cost structure of the company.”

The pandemic has had a significant impact on the aviation sector with business operations having been completely suspended for about two months across both domestic and international routes from March 25.

While the government allowed resumption of operations across domestic routes from May 25, airline operations across the international routes are yet to be resumed. Moreover, with respect to the domestic routes, while the players have resumed operations, the business continues to face headwinds because of low passenger traffic.

For instance, the total passengers carried by the airlines across the domestic routes stood at 1.98 million in June as against 11.99 million in the same month last year.

Given the lower passenger traffic, the industry players have been operating a lower passenger load factor (PLF). Leading low-cost airlines in the country operated at a PLF of 56 to 68 per cent during June against 90 per cent in the same month last year.

While the PLF in June was higher than the levels of 44 to 57 per cent witnessed during May, it remains low. The fears associated with the spread of Covid-19 and consequent need for social distancing are likely to continue the impact on the sector.

Furthermore, said Ind-Ra, the imposition of lockdown by different state governments to contain the spread of Covid-19 will impact the passenger traffic, and hence, the business operations of the sector in the near term.

The overall passenger traffic is likely to increase in a calibrated manner over the near term. (ANI)