Kingfisher stretches its wings

Kingfisher Airlines, the carrier founded three years ago by Vijay Mallya, one of the most prominent and colourful Indian tycoons, is taking the group from the domestic Indian market on to international routes for the first time next month.
The airline is part of the UB Group, one of the world's biggest drinks groups, which is controlled by Mr Mallya.
It is aiming to break into the exclusive ranks of the world's premium airlines, with the ambition of taking market share from the large number of international carriers including Emirates, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines and British Airways, which dominate international traffic to and from India.
The two Indian carriers Air India and Jet Airways currently have barely 25 per cent of the long-haul market to and from the country.
Mr Mallya said that Kingfisher had signed an agreement with Air France Industries, the engineering division of Air France-KLM for the maintenance and technical support of its entire widebody fleet as part of a wide-ranging deal with the leading European carrier.
Kingfisher has also agreed to use Air France-KLM ground handling services for its operation at London's Heathrow Terminal 4 and has negotiated a three-year lease to use one pair of Air France-KLM take-off and landing slots at Heathrow.
The other slot pair in the congested London market has come from the Heathrow slot co-ordinator.
25/08/08 Kevin Done/Financial Times

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Categories: Foreign Aug 2008, Kingfisher Aug 2008