Simplifly Deccan can fly abroad - Govt to notify other countries

New Delhi: Kingfisher Airlines' international plans are coming closer to realisation with the ministry of civil aviation setting in motion the process of notifying countries to which the carrier's subsidiary, Simplifly Deccan, will be allowed to fly. Vijay Mallya-owned UB Group bought Deccan Aviation Ltd last year, which was operating the country's oldest low fare airline, Air Deccan. 

The merger allows the three-year old Kingfisher to operate international routes on Air Deccan's license much ahead of schedule. Domestic regulations allow carriers to fly overseas only after completion of 5 years of service. Deccan achieves the landmark on 26 August.

Post-merger the Kingfisher Airlines-Air Deccan entity is now the country's second largest airline group in number of passengers flown.

The 13 overseas destinations that Kingfisher can now fly to are the US, the UK, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Thailand, Maldives, Pakistan and Hong Kong.

Kingfisher officials have indicated in the recent past that they may be re-evaluating international plans given the record rise in fuel prices in the recent past. The stated strategy has been to let Kingfisher fly the long-haul routes, even as Simplifly Deccan focused on shorter, primarily Gulf, routes.

Meanwhile, Deccan on Thursday informed the National Stock Exchange that the Karnataka High Court had approved its merger with Kingfisher.