Archive for the ‘Kingfisher Air’ Category

Kingfisher Airlines introduces Kolkata-Dhaka daily direct flights

Sunday, May 17th, 2009

Kingfisher Airlines,  today announced the launch of daily direct flights connecting Kolkata with Dhaka from May 15, 2009. The launch of this new route marks the first time that Kingfisher Airlines is commencing international flights from Kolkata, which has become the fourth city in India from where Kingfisher Airlines offers international connectivity.

The outbound flight will depart from Kolkata at 1:35 in the afternoon daily and arrive in Dhaka at 3:15 in the afternoon, local time. The return flight will take off from Dhaka at 4:00 in the afternoon.

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Kingfisher in talks with GVK for repayment of dues

Thursday, March 19th, 2009

Kingfisher Airlines is in talks with the GVK-led Mumbai International Airport (MIAL) over repayment of Rs 19.70-crore dues for a host of overheads relating to landing, parking, route navigation levy and terminal charges.

Sources say that as part of this endeavour, it has kicked off the exercise with a “substantial part-payment”.
MIAL letter

MIAL’s letter dated March 7, which is in the possession of Business Line, says that it would “be constrained to deal with Kingfisher Airlines on a cash-and-carry basis from March 11” if the latter did not clear the dues.

Sources said that MIAL did not follow up on this ultimatum and extended the payment period instead.

“We regret to inform you that despite constant follow-up and reminders, we are unable to resolve this perennial impediment towards settlement of dues that have been defaulted in terms of timely payment,” the letter stated.

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Kingfisher staff set off false alarm about salary

Wednesday, March 4th, 2009

A few Kingfisher Airlines’ employees on Tuesday set off an alarm about non-receipt of their February 2009 salaries, raising questions about the company’s health, but it was later proved false.

“The salaries of the employees of Kingfisher Airlines for the month of February 2009 have already been paid,” a Kingfisher Airlines spokesperson said in a statement on Tuesday.

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Jet, Kingfisher owe oil PSUs Rs 800 crore, says Deora

Wednesday, March 4th, 2009

Petroleum Minister Murli Deora today said private airlines Jet Airways and Kingfisher owe Rs 800 crore to the three oil PSUs, Indian Oil Corp, Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum on purchase of jet fuel.

“Just yesterday, I was told by (Union Civil Aviation Minister) Praful Patel that Rs 800 crore is still to be given by them (private airlines),” Deora told reporters here.

He was replying to a question on the amount of losses oil marketing companies (OMCs) incurred due to delayed payments on purchase of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF).

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Kingfisher’s indecision is Jet’s gain

Friday, January 2nd, 2009

It’s been a good new year for air travellers. As aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices fell sharply last year, most airlines
reduced their
fares during the new year. But Kingfisher’s yet to come up with a fare cut announcement.

In fact, Kingfisher’s delay in announcing the percentage of fare cut has benefited Jet Airways. Passengers have quickly moved over to Jet, and have started bookings tickets on sectors where both airlines have flights. It’s not yet known why the delay in announcing the cuts but an industry source said there were some miscalculations between Jet and Kingfisher alliance on the fare cut decision.

It was learnt that Jet-Kingfisher alliance had agreed to similar amount of fare cuts to be implemented on the same day. But now, Kingfisher is considering both basic fare and fuel surcharge cuts of around Rs 600 and Rs 400, respectively, which would be implemented next week, the industry source added.

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Kingfisher refuses to reduce fares

Friday, December 26th, 2008

Turning a deaf ear to aviation minister Praful Patel’s plea to cut airfares as jet fuel prices have crashed by almost half in past
three months, Vijay Mallya-owned Kingfisher on Monday ruled out any such move for now.

The airline reiterated its old condition that fares would be dropped as and when the government notifies aviation turbine fuel (ATF) as a declared good so that it attracts a uniform 4% sales tax across the country.

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Kingfisher, Jet agree to drop fares if ATF comes under declared goods

Friday, December 26th, 2008

India’s two largest private airlines — Kingfisher Airlines and Jet Airways — are actively contemplating another round of fare cuts if the
Aviation

government puts aviation turbine fuel under the "declared goods" category.

In a statement on Monday afternoon, Kingfisher Airlines said: "Once the government brings ATF under the declared goods category, we will immediately and significantly reduce fares."

Sources said Jet Airways, which has an operational alliance with Kingfisher, may also take a similar decision if ATF comes under declared goods.

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Kingfisher rules out fare cut, for now

Friday, December 26th, 2008

Turning down Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel’s plea for a fare cut, full service carrier Kingfisher Airlines today said that at present there was no case for reducing air fare.

Other airlines like SpiceJet and IndiGo also said that after the recent round of cuts in fuel surcharge, customers should not expect further benefits in the short term, though there would be some advance purchase packages in January.

“The sharp and continuous rise in aviation turbine fuel prices earlier in the year has left a lasting impact on the bottom lines of the airline companies, leading to an accumulation of huge outstandings and liabilities with oil companies. As such, keeping in mind that the cash flow needs to settle these accumulated liabilities, there is currently no case for reduction in fares,” said an official spokesperson for Kingfisher.

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Jet, Kingfisher may reduce number of flights

Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008

Private air carriers Kingfisher Airlines and Jet Airways, which have entered into an operational alliance recently, may reduce flights
as they tighten belts to overcome financial crunch.

"We are not going to unnecessarily deploy capacity which we cannot fill…if in non-peak hours Jet flight is not full and Kingfisher flight is not full, it makes sense for us to co-operate and fly one aircraft instead of two. (With this) the economics of airlines will improve substantially," Kingfisher Chairman and CEO Vijay Mallya told reporters here.

He also said the two private carriers would co-operate on international routes, even as Kingfisher’s plans to start non-stop flights to San-Francisco has been put on hold.

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Jet, Kingfisher staff scout for work

Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008

With Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines struggling to combat the rising costs, employees of both airlines have begun scouting for jobs in competing, low-cost airlines such as SpiceJet and GoAir.

“We have started sending our resumes to the low cost carriers as our take-home salaries will be almost at par with low cost carriers once Jet’s plan to shift a major portion of our fixed income to the variable component comes into effect in November,” said a ground handling staff member of Jet Airways. Full-fledged airlines currently pay higher salaries compared to the low-cost carriers.

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Mallya hints at more job cuts if slump continues

Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008

Kingfisher Airlines head Vijay Mallya on Monday indicated that if the slump in the market continues, more job cuts and lay-offs may take place in the aviation industry.

"If the slump in the market continues then the number of flights will have to go down…. and when we ground the planes it will have effects," Mallya, a former MP, told reporters outside Parliament. He was responding to a question on whether airlines may lay-off more employees in the near future.

He, however, refused to say whether he had met any minister or government official over the crisis in the aviation sector. Jet Airways chief Naresh Goyal today held a meeting with Finance Minister P Chidambaram.

Jet had recently removed 1900 employees only to reinstate them a day later, allegedly due to government pressure. However, Goyal had said that he changed his decision on humanitarian grounds.

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Kingfisher Airlines halts pilot hiring

Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008

Kingfisher Airlines has put an end to its pilot recruitments for now, and has opted not to honour the ‘letters of intent’ it had issued to its co-pilots earlier this year.

Reports quoted unnamed sources while saying that the airline had issued letters of intent to young pilots promising them jobs as co-pilots once they completed their Type Rating training from institutes abroad. They reports say that a number of these trainee pilots have since then completed their training programmes successfully and have even received their Indian licences, but have not heard from Kingfisher Airlines.

Reports quoted sources as saying that the trainee pilots had been informed that Kingfisher Airlines does not need crew and that the communication was given to the students as and when they completed course and thereafter contacted the airline for the job promised to them earlier.

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DAE Capital in sale and leaseback deal with Kingfisher for three A330-200 aircraft

Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008

The world’s fastest growing aerospace, manufacturing and services corporation, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE), has acquired three Airbus aircraft ordered by Kingfisher Airlines in a sale and leaseback deal.

DAE Capital, the aircraft leasing and financing business, announced the completion of the acquisition of three new Pratt and Whitney-powered Airbus A330-200 wide-body aircraft ordered by Kingfisher Airlines from Airbus.

Delivery of all three aircraft concluded in August 2008.

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Interview - Vijay Mallya, Kingfisher Airlines

Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008

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Kingfisher Airlines to revise fares from October 1

Friday, September 26th, 2008

Private air carrier Kingfisher Airlines plans to revise basic fares from October 1, an airline official said on Friday.

“The special off-peak fares that we were offering will now revert back to their original levels,” a Kingfisher Airlines spokesperson said here.

This will be applicable to the basic fares and would be effective from October 1, the spokesperson said adding “the fare are being revised in view of the festival season.”

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Jet & Kingfisher now fight over codes

Saturday, September 6th, 2008

Arch-rivals Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines are on the battlefield again, this time over flight numbers.

Naresh Goyal-owned Jet Airways has put in a complaint with the aviation regulator—Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)—against Kingfisher Airlines for operating flights on similar code numbers.

Jet has claimed that rival Kingfisher is doing so to attract Jet travellers. It has also claimed that this could lead to air-safety problems and confusion. DGCA has set up a committee to look into the matter. Kingfisher has, however, rejected Jet’s charge and claims that clashes over flight numbers among competitors are common in most aviation markets.

“Clashes over flight numbers are a reality in the aviation industry around the world. Typically, airlines, regulators and national air-traffic management organisations work closely to deal with this issue. In India too, this is an industry-wide issue and is not just restricted to one or two airlines. Flight numbers are usually decided by an airline based on certain operational parameters, and no airline can claim right of usage over a particular flight number as is being claimed,” a Kingfisher Airlines spokesperson said.

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Kingfisher plans flight to San Francisco from Nov 1

Saturday, September 6th, 2008

India’s leading private carrier Kingfisher Airlines plans to launch from Nov 1 its direct flight from Bangalore to San Francisco, connecting this IT hub with the Silicon Valley, its chief executive Vijay Mallya said here on Tuesday evening.

"We will launch our direct flight to San Francisco from Nov 1, connecting the Silicon Valley in the US with India’s IT hub. As there is an open-sky policy in the US, we will have no problem in getting operational clearances after we acquire more brand new Airbus aircraft (A330-200) for the long-haul flights," Mallya told media.

Kingfisher is making its international debut Wednesday with a non-stop daily flight on the Bangalore-London route.

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Kingfisher airlines starts international operations to the UK

Saturday, September 6th, 2008

Kingfisher Airlines’s inaugural flight between Bangalore and London touched down at Heathrow airport, marking the commencement of international operations of liquor baron Vijay Mallya’s Kingfisher Airlines.

Vijay Mallya, Kingfisher Airlines chairman and CEO said, "I am delighted about Kingfisher’s maiden international service between Bangalore and London’s Heathrow airport. Our customers are our guests, not passengers with the warmest Indian hospitality offered."

Mallya said that international routes that would be serviced by Kingfisher have been carefully selected. He said that Kingfisher Airlines believed the Bangalore-London route to be under served, and the launch of a daily non-stop service would capitalise on this sector.

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Now, Kingfisher plans $400-million equity mop-up

Saturday, September 6th, 2008

Kingfisher Airlines, the merged airline operations of Kingfisher Airlines and Deccan Aviation, is looking to raise $400 million through equity, possibly by March 2009. The announcement comes nearly eight months after UB Holdings-owned Kingfisher Airlines announced that it will raise $300 million, a move which has not yet fructified.

Liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who owns the airline, said on Tuesday the company planned to raise $400 million and the instrument for this was yet to be finalised. “A rights issue is also an option, which is open to us,” he said.

UB Holdings controls around 65 per cent in the merged aviation company. The company has been trying to raise equity to fund its operations for quite some time as there is hardly any private equity investor willing to risk his money at high valuations, an industry analyst noted. The company currently has a debt of around Rs 4,000 crore and the combined losses are close to Rs 2,500 crore.

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Consumer court pulls up Kingfisher airlines

Tuesday, August 19th, 2008

The national consumer redressal body has pulled up Kingfisher Airlines for adopting an unfair trade practice by misinforming passengers about the airline they were flying by.

J.K. Mittal bought a Delhi-Bhubaneswar return ticket on a March 8 Kingfisher flight over the internet from the airline’s website. He paid Rs.4,800 each way.

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