The Ministry of Civil Aviation has received a proposal from the ailing Kingfisher Airlines for a re-structuring of its foreign routes, as it struggles to maintain its schedules in the domestic sector.
With some international routes seen as better revenue earners, the Vijay Mallya-owned carrier is seeking to take away some flights on certain international routes and add some on other routes to increase revenue flow.
“We have received a proposal for re-organisation of its global flights. We have an open mind to it,” Mr Prashant Sukul, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, told mediapersons on the sidelines of the India Aviation 2012.
Kingfisher Airlines currently has some seven or eight international routes, including to destinations such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Colombo, Kathmandu and London.
He, however, indicated that not all international routes were money-making business for airlines.
Dreamliner delay
On the delay by Boeing to deliver its Dreamliner aircraft to Air India, Mr Sukul said the aircraft maker has agreed to pay $500 million as compensation for the delay.
The national carrier, which has demanded about $850 million, may however seek a larger compensation amount, which could be about $1 billion. The deliveries of the aircraft have been delayed by over three years now.
He said the first of the aircraft was expected to fly in May and could take another three months for induction.
Boeing has over 100 of these aircraft to be delivered in the next four to five years.