Kingfisher, Deccan mulling MRO facility at Bangalore

Mumbai: Air Deccan and Kingfisher Airlines will set up a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in Bangalore, Air Deccan managing director GR Gopinath said here.

"Besides Air Deccan and Kingfisher aircraft, the MRO facility would take care of third-party maintenance work of the world," Gopinath said at the renaming function of Air Deccan, which now becomes Simplifly Deccan.

Civil aviation minister Praful Patel, who was the chief guest at the function, said that over the next 5-10 years, there would be at least 500 aircraft and 1,000 helicopters flying in the country. "A whole array of aviation work is going to be created in India. Aviation would create 3 million jobs," he said.

UB Group chairman and promoter of Kingfisher Airlines Vijay Mallya, who now owns 46 per cent of Deccan, said low-fares of Simplifly Deccan would continue. Looking ahead, Mallya said that when Deccan completes five years of Indian operations next year it would start flying to Gulf countries. While Deccan would fly to neighbouring countries, riding on its back, Kingfisher would take off on long-haul routes such as those to the US.

"We are eligible to fly abroad next year. Deccan will service neighbouring countries. Kingfisher would service long-haul routes flying non-stop to India and the US West Coast," Mallya said.