Govt gives Kingfisher last chance, other carriers stop credit

New Delhi/Mumbai: Unwilling to shut down a big airline and risk sending airfares skyrocketing, the aviation ministry has given a final chance to Kingfisher. It has asked the cash-strapped airline to at least run its truncated fleet of 28 airworthy aircraft (out of a fleet of 64) properly and in accordance with a new timetable that has to be prepared by Wednesday. At the same time, other carriers, including Air India and Jet Airways, have put Kingfisher on cash-and-carry, which means Kingfisher will have to pay those airlines cash upfront to accommodate stranded passengers.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will mount special safety checks on Kingfisher aircraft in service. A dedicated team at the airline's main base at Mumbai airport will oversee the safety programme and conduct random checks on the pilot defect report (where pilots mention snags and details of repairs by engineers are carried). The DGCA will also send a report on the airline's sorry state to the ministry, leaving a call on Kingfisher's fate to it.
22/02/12 Times of India

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Categories: Kingfisher Feb 2012