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.
Actually the Airline is owned by a fellow called Vijay Mallya who runs United Breweries limited(UB),which is the second largest brewer in the world.One of their major brands is Kingfisher Beer which is essentially their calling card to the Indian market-so that's where the name came from!!!
Phoenix Cardinals ;)
I guess they're the Arizona Cardinals now, though.
Code sharing. Is that fairly new? After I booked a flight once, I noticed the connecting flight was with another airline. I thought I was on the wrong plane, but they let me board, so all was well. LOL
Since deregulation. Got going big time in the 80s.
I'm not sure when that started, but it allows airlines to use their airplanes more efficiently. Flights between IAH or DFW and Europe are ideal for daily round trips. An airline can get about 20-21 hours of utilization out of 24 in one day on those routes. If BA flew all the way to Auckland, New Zeeland, they'd have to make an intermediate stop somewhere like Singapore that allows fifth freedom priveleges and then park the plane in at AKL for several hours before an optimal time for operating the return flight.
Yeah, there are a number of pro teams that have moved and didn't change their names. Once in their new homes, the new names haven't always computed.
Calgary Flames come to mind.
Los Angeles Lakers.
And I think the football Cardinals originated in Chicago.
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