Kingfisher Airlines

Infobox Airline
airline=Kingfisher Airlines
logo=Kingfisher Airlines logo.pnglogo_size=253

UB Towers.jpg
image_caption=Headquarters in Bangalore, India
IATA=IT
ICAO=KFR
callsign=KINGFISHER
parent=UB Group
founded=2004
key_people=Dr. Vijay Mallya, CMD Mr. Hitesh Patel, EVP Mr. Rajesh Verma, EVP Mr. A. Raghunathan, CFO
headquarters=Bangalore, India
hubs=

*Bangalore
*Mumbai
*Delhi
*Hyderabad

focus_cities=

*Ahmedabad
*Chennai
*Kolkata

frequent_flyer=King Club
lounge=
alliance=
fleet_size= 85 (+ 165 Orders, 35 Options)
destinations= 68 + 21 (Pending Govt Approval , Including Routes served Kingfisher Red)
company_slogan = Fly The Good Times
website= http://www.flykingfisher.com

Kingfisher Airlines is an airline based in Bangalore, India. It operates 218 flights a day and has a network of 38 destinations, with regional and long-haul international services. Its main bases are Bengaluru International Airport, Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport and Indira Gandhi International Airport.cite news | title= Directory: World Airlines | work= Flight International | page= 101 | date= 2007-04-03] Kingfisher Airlines, through one of its holding companies United Breweries Group, has 50% stake in low-cost carrier Kingfisher Red, formerly known as Air Deccan. [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Business/India_Business/Air_Deccan_is_now_Kingfisher_Red/articleshow/3423550.cms]

Kingfisher is one of six airlines in the world to have a five-star rating from Skytrax, along with Asiana Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific Airways. [http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Airlines__Aviation/Kingfisher_Airlines_conferred_5_-_Star_Airline_Status/articleshow/2839624.cms] According to a survey held in September 2008, Kingfisher was the most admired airline brand in the Asia-Pacific region. [http://www.rediff.com/money/2008/sep/05brand.htm] In July 2008, Kingfisher's share of Indian aviation market stood at 14.3% while its sister carrier Air Deccan's share stood at 13.5%. [http://news.in.msn.com/business/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1552593]

History

The airline started operations on 9 May, 2005, following the lease of four Airbus A320-200 aircraft. As of July 2007, Kingfisher started operating domestic routes. It has announced plans to start flights to the USA with Airbus A340-500 and Airbus A380-800 aircraft. The airline is owned by the United Breweries Group. In October 2007, the airline announced Deepika Padukone as its brand ambassador. In September 2008, Kingfisher announced its plans to raise US$100 million through equity. [http://www.business-standard.com/india/storypage.php?autono=333298]

Destinations

Kingfisher Airlines, along with Kingfisher Red, is the second largest private airlines in India, behind Jet Airways and its subsidiary Jet Lite. [http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Transportation/Airlines__Aviation/Kingfisher_IndiGo_gain_air_space_Jet_skids/articleshow/2472055.cms] In November 2007, Kingfisher Airlines operated 218 flights daily to 37 destinations across India. Together with its sister airline Kingfisher Red, formerly known as Air Deccan, it operated 570 flights daily connecting 69 Indian cities. [http://indiaaviation.aero/news/airline/5934/59/Kingfisher-expands-domestic-route-network]

On September 3, 2008 Kingfisher airline began its international operations by connecting Bangalore to London Heathrow. [http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Kingfisher-flies-London-today--BA-starts-price-war/356518/] The airline will also start flights between Bangalore and San Francisco on November 1, 2008 and this will soon be followed by flights to Singapore, Bangkok, Maldives and Dubai. [http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Kingfisher_plans_flight_to_San_Francisco_from_Nov_1/articleshow/3437990.cms] The airline will use the Bengaluru International Airport as its main international hub.

Fleet

Kingfisher Airlines fleet currently consists of the ATR 72,Airbus A320 Family,for domestic/short haul services and Airbus A330 for International Long Haul Services. Deliveries of the ordered Airbus A330-200 and Airbus A340-500 for international services are expected sometime in the future. [cite news| url=http://www.anna.aero/2008/09/19/boeing-narrows-gap-on-airbus-in-august-kingfisher-receives-three-new-a330s/| title=Airbus/Boeing: Boeing narrows gap on Airbus in August; Kingfisher receives three new A330s| date=19th September 2008| publisher=anna.aero] The Kingfisher Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft as of 6th July 2008:

Kingfisher Airlines has an average fleet age of 1.7 years as at March 2008.

*On 18 February, 2005, Kingfisher Airlines signed a contract with Airbus for three Airbus A319 aircraft, adding to the 10 Airbus A320 aircraft (plus 20 options) ordered in January 2005. The first of the A319s will be delivered in December 2005, complementing the A320s on routes to smaller cities in India. [ [http://www.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/06_15_05_Kingfisher_English.html Kingfisher becomes first Indian customer for A380, A350, & A330] airbus.com]
*On 15 June, 2005, Kingfisher announced orders for the Airbus A380. It placed orders for five A380s, five Airbus A350-800 aircraft and five Airbus A330-200 aircraft. Delivery of the A330s is due to start in late 2007, followed by the A380s in 2010 and the A350s in 2012. [http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEB20051121101938&Page=B&Title=Business&Topic=0]

*On 20 November, 2005, at the Dubai Air Show, Kingfisher Airlines announced that it would be buying 20 ATR 72-500s (plus 15 options). The deal is estimated to be worth US$500 million with the deliveries starting from March 2006. The last of the 20 planes would be handed over to Kingfisher Airlines by 2008. The first aircraft from that order was delivered to the airlines on March 31, 2006. [http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-14293492_ITM]

*On 21 November, 2005, at the same air show, Kingfisher Airlines placed an order to acquire 30 more A320s in a deal estimated to be worth US$2 billion. Engine-making joint venture International Aero Engines will supply the engines for the planes. Deliveries for the planes are expected to start from 2008. [http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEB20051121101938&Page=B&Title=Business&Topic=0] [http://www.themanufacturer.com/uk/detail.html?contents_id=6107]

*On 13 January, 2006 an Airbus A319 of Kingfisher Airlines was the first aircraft in that class to land on the short older runway at Mangalore. Jet Airways has been operating to old Manglore much before since 1998 with a bigger Boeing 737-400. [ [http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=17758&n_tit=Mangalore%3A%20Kingfisher%20Creates%20History%20%2D%20Airbus%20A%2D319%20Trial%20Flight%20Lands%20at%20Bajpe|Kingfisher Creates History - Airbus A-319 Trial Flight Lands at Bajpe] daijiworld.com]

*On the 24 April, 2006, Kingfisher signed a contract for five Airbus A340-500 HGWs. The airline plans to use this for its Bangalore-San Francisco . Delivery is expected for 2008. [http://www.airbus.com/en/presscentre/pressreleases/pressreleases_items/06_04_24_a340500_kingfisher.html Kingfisher grows its Airbus fleet with purchase of five A340-500] airbus.com]

*Kingfisher has sold two Airbus A321s to Pegasus Aviation Finance in a sale and lease-back deal. Pegasus says in a statement that the two newly-built A321-200s that are being prepared for delivery to Kingfisher will be the first of the stretched A320-family variant in India. Kingfisher already leases one A320 from Pegasus. [Air Transport Intelligence news. Oct/2006]

*An A380 of registration F-WWOW arrived on 6 May 2007 in New Delhi and in Mumbai two days later as part of Kingfisher's second anniversary celebrations.

*On 20 June 2007, Kingfisher airlines announced that it will buy Airbus aircraft including an extra 15 A350-800 XWB aircraft. The order also includes five four-engine A340-500 planes, 10 A330-200 wide-body models and 20 single-aisle A320-family jets. The order is worth a total of US$7.3 billion at list prices. [http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=avTadLPZfV28&refer=asia]

In-flight Services

Currently there are two classes of service in the Kingfisher domestic network, Kingfisher First and economy. Economy class has 32-34 inch seat pitch with footrest.

Kingfisher Airlines' in-flight product has been granted a 5-star rating from Skytrax. It is also known for the glamourized look of its cabin crew.

Codeshare agreements

Kingfisher has codesharing agreements with the following airlines:

*Continental Airlines [http://www.businesswireindia.com/PressRelease.asp?b2mid=13222]
*Emirates Airline [http://www.business-standard.com/india/storypage.php?autono=312786]

Awards

*"NDTV Profit Business Leadership Award for Aviation" - awarded to Kingfisher Airlines by NDTV.

*"Brand Leadership Award" - in the service and hospitality segment against several acclaimed hotels, leading banks and other airlines.

*Economic Times Avaya Award 2006 for Excellence in “Customer Responsiveness” - The prestigious Award is Presented by the highly acclaimed Business Daily, Economic Times.

*"India's No. 1 Airline in customer satisfaction" - Business World

*"Rated amongst India's most respected companies" - Business World

*Rated amongst India’s 25 Innovative Companies - Survey conducted by Planman Media

*‘The Best Airline” and “India’s Favourite Carrier” - In a Survey conducted by IMB for The Times Of India.

*“Best New Domestic Airline for Excellent Services and Cuisine” - Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) the biggest travel writers’ organisation, representing members from 70 countries across the globe, that conducts independent annual surveys across various industries related with Travel and Tourism in order to select the best in each category.

*“Service Excellence for a New Airline” - Skytrax, a UK based specialist global air transport advisor

*“Ranked Third in the survey on India’s Most Successful Brand launch of 2005” - under the Brand Derby Survey conducted by India’s leading business daily - Business Standard.

*“Buzziest Brands of 2005” - Ranked amongst the Top Ten buzziest brands of 2005 & 2006 across product categories, in the survey conducted by agencyfaqs.com and Brand Reporter.

*Best New Airline of the Year” - Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) Award in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East region.

*Rated amongst Top Ten Internet Advertisers - Yahoo India

*Rated amongst the top ten in the Best Television Commercial Jingles - NDTV

References

External links

* [http://www.flykingfisher.com/ Kingfisher Airlines]
* [http://www.ch-aviation.ch/aircraft.php?search=set&airline=KIF&al_op=1 Kingfisher Airlines Fleet]
* [http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?front=yes&maxres=500&keywords=kingfisher%20Airlines Photographs]
* [http://www.toyota-f1.com/public/en/newslist/20070112_02.html Kingfisher Airlines and Toyota F1]
* [http://www.kingfisherworld.com Kingfisher World - The World of Good Times]
* [http://www.india-airlines.com/kingfisher.html kingfisher airline info]