Kingfisher set to launch UAE flights

Kingfisher Airlines of India, founded by industrialist Vijay Mallya, would soon be making its first landing in the UAE, in line with launching its international operations in September this year.

The Bangaluru-based airline would begin its global services with the United Kingdom and San Francisco launches next month.

Plans are afoot to begin services to the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan and the Maldives, over the next three months, according to a report in Flight International. Kingfisher is expected to launch up to 15 overseas routes over the next three months, the report said.

At the UK's Farnborough International Airshow last month, Mallya had said Kingfisher would start the launch of its international services on September 3, 2008, with an India-UK direct service.

"Gulf is definitely one of the destinations we are looking at but it is too early to reveal details. We should have something to announce soon," Kingfisher Airlines' spokesman, Prakash Mirpuri, told Emirates Business.

With this, Kingfisher would become the second Indian carrier, after Jet Airways, to launch operations in the UAE this year. Privately held Jet Airways is set to launch its flights to Dubai starting August 23, four months after it started Abu Dhabi flights. Jet Airways would be launching two daily flights from Dubai, one each to Mumbai and Delhi.

Industry observers, on the other hand, are sceptical about Kingfisher Airlines launching its Gulf operations this year. "It is highly improbable that Kingfisher would launch Gulf flights this year. Gulf is not on its immediate radar. So it is possible that it would launch Gulf routes sometime mid-next year," said an industry observer, adding that Kingfisher is currently focused on launching its services to London and San Francisco.

Kingfisher Airlines' move follows its merger with budget carrier, Air Deccan, which completes five years of service on August 26, 2008, enabling Kingfisher to embark on international routes. Under Indian aviation rules, carriers must operate for five years in the domestic market before they can start global services. Kingfisher's own operations are only three years old. According to the Flight International report, Kingfisher Airlines is planning to redeploy several of its 51 Airbus A320s, all of which are in two-class configuration, from domestic to short-haul international flights.

The report added that Kingfisher has taken delivery of its first batch of wide-bodies and plans to begin serving its first international destination, London Heathrow, at the end of August or beginning of September. Mallya had unveiled Kingfisher's first Airbus A330-200 and new long-haul in-flight product at the Farnborough air show last month.

The carrier will also take deliveries by October of five A330s and five A340-500s, both in two-class configuration. Kingfisher also has firm orders for five Airbus A380 superjumbos with an option for an additional five.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.