After Jet, Kingfisher seeks fewer flights on unpopular routes

Kingfisher Airlines wants itself and Deccan to be considered one entity by the government while enforcing rules that mandate that airlines fly to certain number of remote locations.
Kingfisher Airlines Ltd, whose parent UB Group recently acquired a controlling stake in Deccan Aviation Ltd, which operates Deccan, has written to the government to this effect.
Jet Airways India Ltd, which acquired Sahara Airlines Ltd, had previously requested the government for a similar relaxation.
Government rules mandate that airlines deploy a certain proportion of their flights on these routes, referred to as CAT II, CAT IIA and CAT III routes within the industry— many of these routes are commercially unviable. The number of flights an airline has to operate on these routes is a function of the number of flights it operates in other routes such as the ones connecting the metros.
Both Kingfisher and Jet say they have grounds for asking for a relaxation in the rules.
“Since Kingfisher Airlines and Deccan Aviation are now one, the government should now only ask us to fly CAT II and CAT III routes limited to one airline,” said a senior Kingfisher Airlines executive, on the condition of anonymity.
A senior Jet Airways executive, who did not want to be named, confirmed that the company has requested the government to rationalize mandatory flights to far-flung areas.
10/12/07 P.R.Sanjai/Livemint

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Categories: Kingfisher Dec 2007, Simplifly Deccan Dec 2007