Kingfisher may hit foreign turf by mid-2008

Vijay Mallya-promoted Kingfisher Airlines may be able to fly international routes from India by mid-2008 with the civil aviation ministry considering relaxing the eligibility norm for allowing Indian carriers to operate on overseas sectors. A source close to the ministry said talks on the issue were moving in the right direction and the current five-year flying experience criteria for a carrier to operate international flights may be brought down to three years.

A Kingfisher spokesperson said, “Yes, talks with government are positive. We may be able to start international operations on our own by the middle of 2008. We will complete three years of operations in May, 2008.” If the government revises the eligibility norm, it would fit Kingfisher’s design of flying overseas by 2008, when it takes delivery of its first wide-bodied aircraft - A340-500. The airline plans to deploy the aircraft on the Bangalore-San Francisco and Mumbai-New York sectors.

It would also be taking delivery of A330-200 during the same time, which will be put on Mumbai-London and Mumbai-Hong Kong routes. These new generation aircraft will be configured in three classes - super first class, ultra business class and Kingfisher class (economy). The carrier has not abandoned its backup plan, though. Having registered a company - Kingfisher International - in the US, it is talking to four American carriers for a strategic partnership to begin its international operations out of US, in case the government backtracks on its commitment to ease rules.

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