Kingfisher announces Bangalore-London Heathrow operations to commence 3 September
23 Aug 2008
New Delhi: India's Kingfisher Airlines has announced it will launch its first international service from the southern Indian city of Bangalore for London on 3 September. The service will be a daily, non-stop, Airbus A330-220 flight to London Heathrow airport.
"We will set new standards in international travel," Kingfisher chairman, Vijay Mallya, said through a company statement.
Mallya's UB-Group-owned full service provider, Kingfisher Airlines bought out low-cost Indian carrier Deccan Aviation last year, giving it the right to fly abroad. Under domestic aviation rules carriers less than five years old cannot fly internationally.
While Kingfisher would be eligible to start international operations only in 2010, as it is only into the third year of its operations, Deccan completes five years of service at the end of this month. With the expiry of the moratorium, it now allows Kingfisher to piggyback on its licence.
Kingfisher is now expected to provide added competition to India's largest private carrier, Jet Airways, as well as flag carrier, state-owned, Air India. Currently, only these two Indian carriers fly overseas.
