Kingfisher Airlines launches Bangalore flights

Kingfisher Airlines launches Bangalore flights

[September 3rd 2008]

Indian airline Kingfisher, owned by billionaire Dr Vijay Mallya, has today launched its first international flights between Heathrow and Bangalore.

“We will set new standards in international travel with the unique Kingfisher experience that has earned us a 5-star rating from Skytrax. Our customers are our guests, not passengers, and this is reflected in the unique levels of comfort and entertainment, including live television, and fine dining options on board together with the warmest Indian hospitality offered by a hand-picked and extensively trained crew,” comments Mallya.

Kingfisher claims to be the first airline to operate between the UK and India with live TV channels such as BBC World, CNN and EuroSport. The airline is offering other innovative products such as mood lighting, web chat and email, and for first class passengers in-seat massagers, jacket pressing and spectacles cleaning. Airline meals will also be different, with cuisine from famous London restaurant Chutney Mary’s.

Bangalore is known as the Silicon Valley of India and Kingfisher is also believed to have plans to fly from the city to San Francisco. Next month Kingfisher is expected to introduce flights from Heathrow to India’s financial capital, Mumbai.

“At a time when many airlines are rolling back on their network, I feel that the carefully selected routes that Kingfisher Airlines will serve have great growth potential. International traffic demand in and out of India remains robust and the unique ties between Britain and India generate attractive additional opportunities. I believe that the Bangalore-London route is under served and the launch of Kingfisher`s daily non stop service will exploit the latent potential that exists,” Dr Mallya says.

Launched in 2005, Kingfisher is now the largest privately owned airline in India following its merger with Air Deccan. Dr Mallya is listed as the 476th wealthiest person in the world by Fortune magazine, and is known as the Indian Richard Branson.

Kingfisher will use Airbus A330-200s on the Heathrow to Bangalore route, with 30 seats in first class and 187 in standard class. But it’s not all good news for the airline – last week it was reported it was deferring the delivery of 32 of 48 new Airbus A320s scheduled for delivery in 2008-09.

Written by: Nick Purdom

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