DGCA suspends Kingfisher’s licence

The Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has suspended the licence of Kingfisher Airlines after the airline failed to come up with a viable financial restructuring and operational plan for the bankrupt airline.

The Directorate-General of Civil Aviation has suspended the scheduled operator permit of Kingfisher Airlines till further orders, sources in the civil aviation ministry said.

Kingfisher Airlines has not been adhering to its flight schedule and "abruptly cancelling flights time and again during the last 10 months", causing great inconvenience to the travelling public.

Kingfisher, controlled by liquor baron Vijay Mallya, has been in a financial mess ever since its creation. Over the years the airline has amassed a huge debt and defaulted on payment of taxes and airport fees and even failed to pay fuel charges to oil marketing companies.

With no financial and operational plans for revival of the airline, its unpaid employees have been struggling with a prolonged lock-out.

DGCA had, on 5 October, issued a show-cause notice to the airline asking why its flying licence should not be suspended or cancelled.