Air Deccan to Simplifly Deccan to Kingfisher Red – the saga continues

Mumbai:  Low-cost carrier Simplifly Deccan has undergone another change, now being renamed Kingfisher Red. It will operate as a separate brand from Kingfisher Airlines. This is a second branding exercise for the pioneering low fare operator that emerged as a "common man's airline" in the country.

It ushered in a transformation in the country's traveling habits with the middle-class happy to take to the skies in an era of low cost air travel. Now circumstances have changed though, with a downturn in the aviation industry on the back of rising costs once again sending these travelers back to other modes of travel.

Kingfisher acquired majority stake in Deccan Aviation, holding company of Air Deccan, last year and has since repositioned it and also merged operations with the loss-making carrier.

Air Deccan, launched in 2003 by Capt GR Gopinath, introduced the concept of no-frills carriers to India. The brand has now been granted a license to fly abroad from the end of this month, upon completion of five years of domestic operations.  This license will now pass on to Kingfisher as the  holding company of Air Deccan and allow it to commence international operations instead.