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29 March 2024

Kingfisher to shut international operations

A Kingfisher Airlines aeroplane sits on the tarmac at Chhatrapathi Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has suspended Kingfisher Airlines from its account settlement system due to non-payment of fees, dealing a fresh blow to the carrier as it seeks funds to stay aloft. (REUTERS)

Published
By Bindu Suresh Rai

The rumour mill was abuzz that Indian tycoon Vijay Mallya was losing grip on his cash-starved carrier Kingfisher Airlines.

The worse has finally come into play as the Indian carries is expected to shut all international operations by April 10, 2012.

Flights from Dubai, along with Colombo, Bangkok and Kathmandu will stop operating from March 25, while the final flight would be a Delhi-Heathrow one on April 10; the airline has already shut operations for Singapore and Hong Kong and Singapore.

Earlier today, a call from Emirates 24|7 to its Dubai call centre had a representative cite reasons of a technical glitch being the cause of passengers unable to book any flights to Mumbai, Delhi or Bangalore.

However, another call was more forthcoming, with a rep saying: “Keeping the current situation in mind at the head office, bookings have been temporarily suspended. However, those who have bookings for dates later than March 24 will be taken into consideration, either with a full refund or alternative travel arrangements. We are sure the company will decide the needful.”

According to India’s Economic Times, the management seems to have indicated that employees would be given a one month salary once the Income Tax (I-T) department de-freezes its accounts, citing sources. However, with employees demanding their three months pending salary, no solution seems to have been arrived at.

Meanwhile, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh told reporters earlier that the government may cancel Kingfisher Airlines' licence if safety norms and financial viability conditions are not met.

Operating only 18 planes, Kingfisher Airlines is said to have a debt of $1.3 billion.