Kingfisher Airlines plans foreign partner for MRO

Talks on with 2-3 foreign suitors; MRO to go live next year

BY A CORRESPONDENT
January 29, 2006

Vijay Mallya-owned Kingfisher Airlines is in talks with foreign partners to set up a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operation in India. Kingfisher Airlines is also close to selecting aircraft engines for the wide-body Airbuses it has on firm order.

Nigel Harwood, Kingfisher COO has confirmed that the airline is talks with two or three interested partners. The MRO joint venture will be set up by the middle of this year. Kingfisher Airlines is also looking at land for the MRO facility. The facility will go live by next year.

Kingfisher Airlines already has plans to start a flying school Thane near Mumbai. Kingfisher University, as the academy is named, is expected to kick off by end-2006.

Kingfisher has already got initial bids for engine supply General Electric, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce for its upcoming Airbus fleet.