England: Kingfisher Airlines said on Tuesday it would stand by orders for Airbus' redesigned A350 mid-sized jet, provided the price does not rise, but said it had no plans to buy any more of the planes or any other aircraft.
"We have already ordered aircraft and we do not need to order any more aircraft right now," Kingfisher Chief Executive Vijay Mallya said on the sidelines of the Farnborough International Airshow.
Mallya, a flamboyant beer tycoon who founded Kingfisher, also joined Finland's Finnair in backing a controversial redesign of the A350. He did not expect the price Kingfisher had agreed to pay for five A350 planes to change.
"Our 350s are going to come to us in 2012 and if we are getting a brand new aircraft for the same price, something that is a lot better than the old 350s, then it is a reason to celebrate," Mallya said in an interview.
Kingfisher, benefiting from a boom in Indian air travel, went on a shopping spree at last year's Paris airshow with an order for $3 billion in planes, including 5 of Airbus' mammoth A380s. Mallya said the airline would not be affected by delays in deliveries of the A380 and had no intention to change the mix of its current orders.
The firm also had no immediate plans to exercise any options. Kingfisher and other Indian carriers have been aggressively expanding their aircraft fleets as the number of people flying within India surges due to more affordable travel and a booming economy.
Mallya, whose UB Group makes Kingfisher beer and a host of lifestyle goods, wants Kingfisher to fly long-haul international routes but is still waiting for government approvals.
"The government is now keenly aware that many startup airlines from various parts like the Gulf are coming into India. They now recognise the need to give Indian airlines equal opportunities," he said. Mallya also said that Kingfisher was not interested in buying Air Sahara.
A deal by private airline Jet Airways to buy Air Sahara for $500 million collapsed last month. Kingfisher earlier announced it had ordered 10 Pratt & Whitney engines to power its fleet of Airbus A330 planes in a deal worth $300 million and had taken an option for 10 more. Pratt & Whitney is a unit of United Technologies Corp.
Comments
0 comment