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Kingfisher, Air Deccan to revise fleet purchase plans: Mallya
Amitabha Roychowdhury in Vancouver
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June 05, 2007 13:02 IST

Days after acquiring control of Air Deccan, Kingfisher Airlines Chairman Vijay Mallya now looks at rationalising the fleet of the two carriers and considering changes in the total fleet order of 90 aircraft.

"We are considering swapping or switching the orders" placed by the two airlines before his UB Group bought 26 per cent stake in the low-cost carrier, Mallya told PTI on the sidelines of the annual general meeting of the International Air Transport Association in Vancouver.

The UB Group will soon be launching an open offer to buy another 20 per cent stake in Deccan Aviation Ltd [Get Quote] that operates Air Deccan.

Both Kingfisher and Air Deccan would 'revisit their fleet plans' in coordination with each other to rationalise the fleet structure, he said.

To questions on the future of Air Deccan, which is currently bearing big losses, he said: "Air Deccan will be profitable, gung ho".

Both the airlines have already placed orders from the European aircraft major, Airbus Industrie, for about 90 aircraft. These include five of the largest aircraft -- A380, the first of which is slated to be delivered to Kingfisher by 2011.

Industry sources in Vancouver said Kingfisher is likely to revise its earlier orders and place fresh orders for wide-bodied A330-400s for use on the India-US sectors.

They said the fresh orders, likely to be placed at the upcoming Paris Airshow starting middle of this month, would include five A340-600s also.


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