Kingfisher reworks plane purchase plan

New Delhi: Vijay Mallya’s Kingfisher Airlines has decided to change its earlier fleet acquisition plan. Though it aims to more than double the size from 66 to 137 aircraft by 2015-16, it does not now plan to induct Airbus 380s. The airline also does not plan to add Airbus 350s.
In the next financial year, Kingfisher plans to add nine aircraft — six A320s, two A330s and one ATR. Of these, the airline will take eight directly from the market. It plans to add 14 aircraft in 2012-13, 20 in 2013-14, 16 in 2014-15 and 13 in 2015-16.
When asked about the new delivery schedule of A380s, an airline spokesperson refused to talk on the issue. An email to the airline did not elicit any response.
Kingfisher is the second-largest airline in India in terms of passengers carried and operates around 375 flights a day to 71 destinations in India and abroad. It is also the only listed carrier to have not turned profitable; it reported a net loss of Rs 1,647.2 crore in the financial year ended March 2009. It reported a net loss of Rs 187 crore in the first quarter of this year and Rs 230 crore in the second quarter.
Taking steps to reduce costs and generate revenue, it has discontinued free food on Kingfisher Red, its low-cost operation, which accounts for up to 75 per cent of its capacity.
05/02/11 Mihir Mishra/Business Standard

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Categories: Kingfisher Feb 2011