Go First was India's first-ever ultra-low-cost carrier. Formed in November 2005 as GoAir, it took on its current identity last year. The airline boasts one of the youngest fleets in the world by average age. Going forward, new deliveries mean that this figure may even drop further. Let's take a look at the planes Go First currently flies, and its plans for the future.

Older Airbus A320s

According to data from ch-aviation.com, there are currently 58 aircraft in Go First's fleet. This figure consists entirely of Airbus narrowbodies, whose average age clocks in at an impressive 6 years old. This is slightly dragged down by the six A320ceos that remain in the fleet, which are being replaced by newer A320neos as they arrive. The 52 neos have an average age of just 3.4 years old.

At the time of writing, 49 of the 58 aircraft are actively in use, representing around 85% of the fleet. In the past, the Indian ultra-low-cost carrier has operated another 24 examples of A320ceo. Five of the six are active right now, with just one in storage. Eight of the neos, in total, are also stored.

Go First pilots
Go First hopes to maintain a consistent lead over other carriers in the future. Photo: Go First

The rise of the A320neo

In recent years, the next-generation Airbus A320neo has come to dominate Go First's fleet. There are 52 examples of the European manufacturer's modern twinjet at the carrier's disposal. These new and highly efficient aircraft have helped keep the average age of the fleet as a whole impressively low, and will continue to do so with future deliveries.

Data from ch-aviation shows that the airline still has a further 92 examples on order, with 11 of these estimated to arrive in 2022. But when did Go First order these aircraft?

As it happens, it did so in the form of two 72-aircraft deals signed five years apart. The first of these was an order that Go First placed in 2011, valued at $4.3 billion at the time. Then, at the 2016 Farnborough Air Show, it announced a memorandum of understanding with Airbus for a further 72 A320neos. This brought its total future fleet size for the type to 144.

Go First pilots
Eventually, Go First will have an all-neo fleet of 144 aircraft. Photo: Go First

Slightly different seating configurations

Go First configures each of its aircraft types slightly differently when it comes to onboard seating. Of course, being an ultra-low-cost carrier, what remains consistent is the idea of an all-economy layout. However, the older A320s have slightly fewer seats, namely 180. Meanwhile, the newer A320neos have an extra row of seats onboard. This brings their total capacity to 186 passengers.

In any case, both models offer a standard seat pitch of 28-29 inches. This is at the lower end of the scale when it comes to personal space, but not uncommon for budget operators. Looking to the future, Go First's fleet will only get younger.

What do you make of Go First's present fleet? Have you ever flown with the Indian ultra-low-cost carrier? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!