New Delhi: The Delhi high court on Monday dismissed a petition of Paramount Airways Ltd in which the regional carrier sought a stay on the government confiscating three of its aircraft after deregistering them.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had deregistered the planes after GE Commercial Aviation Services Llc (GECAS) complained that Paramount had defaulted on payments for the aircraft.

Justice S. Muralidhar refused to interfere in DGCA’s action.

“Without valid lease, you cannot fly aircraft...DGCA cannot ignore it,” the court said regarding Paramount’s plea that the civil aviation regulator cannot ground its aircraft as the firm would then suffer.

The court’s order came on an application moved by GECAS requesting the court to vacate the order passed by it on 7 December, in which it had allowed the carrier to use three grounded planes following deregistration by DGCA.

The Coimbatore-based airline has a fleet of five Embraer 170-100LR and 170-200LR jets and had leased three 75-seater planes from GECAS, which had sued Paramount in a London court over dues.

It had also complained against Paramount to DGCA, and the regulator had decided to deregister its planes.

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