Kingfisher Airlines Bangalore-Mangalore flights in April

Mumbai-Mangalore flights commence

BY A CORRESPONDENT
23rd January 2006

Kingfisher Airlines, led by Dr Vijay Mallya has big plans for Mangalore, having started its Mumbai - Mangalore flights. Mallya who landed in Mangalore on Kingfisher's inaugural Mumbai-Mangalore flight said that they have plans to start Bangalore-Mangalore flights in the coming months.

Mallya said that Kingfisher would start its first Mangalore-Bangalore flight using its new ATR aircraft. Kingfisher expects to get its brand new ATR aircraft by March 2006.

Highlighting the potential of Mangalore city, Mallya said: "providing connectivity to Mangalore is important. It is a centre of economic activity. Mangalore is developing, and we are very bullish about the traffic potential here. We are planning to introduce Bangalore-Mangalore flight by April this year."

Mallya said he also has plans to operate his airlines in other potential routes like Chennai-Mangalore. The launch of new runway in Mangalore would enable Kingfisher to introduce Airbus 320 in the city, he said. He also praised the state government's effort on the same. By the end of 2006, Kingfisher will have 17 new Airbus' and 8 ATRs.

He also criticised the state government for not providing the necessary infrastructure to the so-called IT capital of India, Bangalore. "It is a fact that infrastructure does not exist in Bangalore. It is an embarrassment for me in every international forum I go to hear that infrastructure does not exist in the so-called IT capital of the country. However, our politicians are discussing about power sharing. Then what about infrastructure?", asked Mallya.

Mallya, who received a traditional "kumkum" welcome at the airport termed it as a historic moment in the history of Indian aviation. Speaking on the Jet-Sahara deal, the Kingfisher chief said that he also had the opportunity to buy it, but he had declined to do so.