The Hindu Business Line : Kingfisher interested in stake in Air Deccan

Future plans Kingfisher's Airbus A-380 will operate non-stop flights between India and cities on the east coast of the US. It has no plans of utilising this aircraft on domestic routes.

THE UNION Civil Aviation Minister, Mr Praful Patel, the Kingfisher Airlines Chairman and CEO, Mr Vijay Mallya, and the Airbus COO (Customers), Mr John Leahy, before boarding the Airbus A-380 for a demonstration flight, in the Capital on Monday. — Kamal Narang

New Delhi May 7 The UB Group is interested in picking up a stake in the low cost airline, Air Deccan although not immediately, the Chairman, Mr Vijay Mallya, said on Monday.

"We do not have current plans to acquire Air Deccan. Am I interested? Yes. Am I imminently interested in Air Deccan?

No. As regards what is imminent I leave that to your imagination," Mr Mallya said, without spelling out a time frame for picking up a stake in the low cost airline.

Second attempt

The Managing Director, Air Deccan, Captain G.R. Gopinath, had recently indicated that the airline planned to raise about $150 million through sale of equity.

If Kingfisher Airlines decides to acquire a stake in Air Deccan it would be the airlines' second attempt at acquiring a stake in another domestic carrier.

Late last year, Kingfisher Airline was in the fray for purchasing Air Sahara, but dropped out claiming the asking price was too high.

Meanwhile, the airline plans to utilise the Airbus A-380 that it will receive in 2011, to operate non-stop flights between India and cities on the east coast of the United States.

"We plan to have non-stop flights between Delhi and Mumbai to New York, and could also look at operations to Chicago and Atlanta. At the moment, the plan is to utilise the Airbus A-340-500 aircraft, which we would get in 2008, to operate flights to the west coast of the US, and use the A-380 to connect India with cities on east coast of the US," Mr Mallya said.

The airline, which has no plans of utilising this aircraft on domestic routes, plans to seat 500 passengers in a three-class configuration.

"We will have things that passengers can look forward to. We set the standards in India with the in-flight entertainment system and passengers can look forward to a great flight when the A-380 enters service," Mr Mallya added.

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