Kingfisher Airlines Cancels Around 30 Flights

Thursday, 1st March 2012 at 04:52am

About 30 flights heading to major metro cities in India were cancelled by Kingfisher Airlines on Wednesday as they try to look for solutions to their current financial problems.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) received a copy of Kingfisher Airlines new flight schedules as it utilized only 28 out of the 64 aircrafts for about 180 daily flights. E.K. Bharat Bhushan, the Director General of Civil Aviation is looking into the airline's large-scale cancellations as it fears that financial limitations could in any way be affecting passenger safety.

Ajit Singh, the Civil Aviation Minister, believes that the government could not give the private owned Kingfisher Airlines the bailout it gave to Air India which is state-owned.

Singh stated, "The government is not going to bail it out, but we hope Kingfisher can mobilise its resources somehow because if they don't then there will be more problems for the passengers."

"We have made it very clear, and I'm sure Mr Mallya knows that Air India is a government concern. Whatever help we give them, we cannot do it to any private industry. If the banks can loan them money, then it's all good."

Rumor has it that the State Bank of India is offering to help Kingfisher Airlines. Owned mostly by Vijay Mallya, the airline owes taxes amounting to 390m rupees ($8m; £5m) and a debt of Rs 7,057.08 crore.

Around 160 flights of Kingfisher Airlines were cancelled recently. Vijay Mallya, the billionaire owner is determined to keep Kingfisher Airlines in operation. Kingfisher flies to eight countries overseas like Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong and London and flies to 46 local destinations.

The latest problems faced by the airline were the disruption of flights. The cancelled flights were supposed to be flown through Air India on credit, of which according to Reuters news agency, Air India refused. Kingfisher's bank account has lately been frozen due to non-payment of taxes.

By: Pete Lee.