Posted on 11/23/2006 6:57:38 PM PST by sukhoi-30mki
Kingfisher Plans First U.S. Service To SFO, New York
By Steven Lott/Aviation Daily
11/22/2006 09:25:15 AM
Kingfisher Airlines by year end expects to apply to the U.S. Transportation Dept. for permission to launch service to San Francisco and New York, starting in early 2008, The DAILY has learned.
The Indian carrier launched in May 2005 and has been quickly ramping up domestic flights but Chairman and CEO Vijay Mallya is still eager to start long-haul service to the U.S. The carrier previously hoped to start the service in 2007, but because of aircraft delivery schedules and the timing of government approval, the start will likely slip to early 2008, Mallya said during a visit to Washington. "From the day we started, I have had an incessant focus to connect the U.S. and India nonstop," he said.
Mallya this week hired an unidentified law firm in Washington to represent Kingfisher and told it to file an application for U.S. service within four to six weeks. Starting as early as January 2008, the carrier will launch service from Bangalore to San Francisco, which would link the countries' respective high-technology centers. Shortly after SFO, Mallya wants to start flights from Mumbai to New York.
Kingfisher expects to take the first of five Airbus A330-200s in December 2007 and the first of five Airbus A340-500s in January 2008. Depending on timing, the first few weeks of U.S. service may be operated with the A330 with a stop in Europe, Mallya said. With the A340-500, Mallya claims Kingfisher will be the only carrier with the equipment to operate the flight nonstop to the U.S. West Coast. "People will argue that the Boeing 777-200LR can do the same thing, but there are a lot of [weight and extended twin-engine operations] problems," he said.
Besides winning U.S. DOT approval, Mallya is lobbying hard for the Indian government to change the rule that requires airlines to be operating for five years before starting international service. "They've shot themselves in the foot because they are permitting new startups from all over the world to come into India," he said. "There are already negotiations with government and it's almost certain they will review this."
Kingfisher has five A380s on order, which may eventually fly to the U.S., but first deliveries aren't expected until the end of 2010. Mallya isn't too upset about the A380 delays and said they won't affect his route planning. He waiting to get the details on the redesigned A350, but Airbus has already promised him that it won't change the price listed in the original agreement.
Besides winning government approval for international long-haul flights, Kingfisher will focus on its aggressive domestic growth in 2007. In the 18 months since the airline's launch, the carrier has grown from one plane and four daily flights to its current fleet of 22 aircraft and more than 130 daily flights. The carrier recently added its fourth Airbus A321 and took its first ATR-72-500. The airline also has A319s and A320s.
Their logo would look a lot better on a Boeing. Those Airbuses are some butt-ugly planes.
Supposedly the Indian government won't give permission for ETOPS for new carriers till they have a few years in operations.
If you want on or off my aerospace ping list, please contact me by Freep mail.
Being a member of Airliners.net, I should warn you that a lot of photographers over there tend to be very anal when someone uses their photo without permission, especially on the Internet.
Uh, no. I think not.
What's the significance of the shading on the route map?
ETOPS limits. I posted the lower map with 60, 120, and 180 minute limits. If you click on the image, you can get to the page I used go generate the maps.
Wow, that second map is interesting.
Which one?
Whoops, I didn't see the word "second".
I swaer, my first thought was: And where are Amos & Andy in this? Which one gets to fly the plane?
The thought of a Kingfisher-type shyster, with an Indian accent, only gives me hysterics. To anyone who remembers the old controverisal series, Kingfisher was unforgetable with his get-rich-quick schemes, the man who taught Mr. Haney (of Green Acres) everything he knew. My father still thinks A&A the funniest show ever written, once you get past the accents; and I fear I've been around him too long.
Cool. They look so 3 dimensional.
I see what you mean about using these maps to make decisions on type of airplanes to purchase. Thanks.
The Kingfisher is a beautiful bird but I hope the airline doesn't perform like it's animal kingdom namesake unless it is also a submarine.
you'd get quite a scenic view on that route.
Actually the real reason for not granting overseas clearance is that it will push the national carriers, Air India & Indian airlines over the hill.The North American & Middle Eastern sectors are a virtual monopoly for Air India as of now.The moment Kingfisher,Jet & other private carriers enter those sectors,the government will have to undertake drastic restructuring if not disinvestment of the 2 national carriers,which anyway is inevitable.
The advent of upto 6-8 major private players on the Indian domestic market has shaken Indian airlines to undertake modernisation,which may not be enough,though.
Well there's almost alway a real reason and a stated reason why bureacracies make their rules.
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