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Aiel · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 927 Location: Bangalore

A news report mentioned the loads on September 3, BLR-LHR is about 70%.
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The_Goat · Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:49 pm Post subject:

TKMCE · Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Posts: 957

Punjabiboy

Request please be careful in using the "Quote" function when you post. I did not make the last quote in your post, it was JASE PL (although from your post it appears I did).

Thanks for your understanding

Punjabi Boy · Member Joined: 31 Jan 2008 Posts: 219 Location: LONDON LHR

karatecatman · Guest

www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/09/03/stories/2008090351931000.htm

Kingfisher flying overseas today
Announcing the launch of the international flights, the airline’s Chairman and Managing Director, Mr Vijay Mallya, told newspersons that the fares will be extremely competitive while the service will be better than those offered by other airlines.

“We want to be the Harrod’s of London in our service offering,” Mr Mallya said. He said the London operations will become profitable from its flight itself. He said the airline also plans to raise about $400 million through equity sale for its future operations.

“There are no timelines as of now as we have adequate cash at present,” Mr Mallya said.

The airline expects to break even between 18 months and 24 months.

karatecatman · Guest

Update

Kingfisher IT01 departed from gate 18 at BIAL 18 mins later than scheduled. Was to leave at 8.40 a.m but left at 8.58 a.m.

Is scheduled to arrive at Gate 9 at Terminal 4 at Heathrow 9 minutes late. ETA is 2.50 p.m. Will now land at 2.59 p.m.
(4 hours more to land!)

Nimish · Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 6:52 pm Post subject:

Wow - truly a landmark for IT - they've been waiting for this day for so long. Congratulations and best wishes to them for this first route, and here's hoping they launch new routes ex-BLR and succeed in their venture!

BA and 9W are definitely doing all they can to scuttle IT - with BA "slashing fares" and 9W launching it's BLR-BRU terminator, despite publicly stating in July/August that they don't plan any international expansion other than DXB.
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TKMCE · Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Posts: 957

karatecatman · Guest

Update 1
Kingfisher IT01 landed at Heathrow at 3.03 p.m.

Punjabi Boy · Member Joined: 31 Jan 2008 Posts: 219 Location: LONDON LHR

got pics here of it on the remote stands.......do not know how to upload..

do not forget these slots they got are the old Varig slots......

747-237 · Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 10:37 pm Post subject:

Was the King-Fissure himself, VJM, onboard ? Bet he's gonna 'make it rain' in London, tonight !! Look forward to the pics !

sammyk · Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 10:41 pm Post subject:

jasepl · Member Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Posts: 4257 Location: bund-bay

jasepl · Member Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Posts: 4257 Location: bund-bay

[quote="TKMCE"]

Punjabi Boy · Member Joined: 31 Jan 2008 Posts: 219 Location: LONDON LHR

sammyk · Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 11:08 pm Post subject:

Lets stay on topic, guys.

TKMCE · Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Posts: 957

Fair enough but don tforget that the plethora of frequencies you get from BOM and DEL to LHR was more because till a few (4 ???) years back the India UK bilateral was one of the most restrictive with DEL ,BOM, MAA and CCU being the only gateway points.The India German bilateral for one was liberalised much earlier making it possible for LH to establish themselves in BLR, longbefore BLR had access to LHR.

Another restricitve bilateral was with Hong Kong, it is only recently that CX got the rights to MAA, BLR etc.(but they did have the priced fifth freedom on BOM-DXB much earlier).

And as for loyalty, dont foget that quite a lot of domestic premium pax have already switched from Jet and Indian (Air India) after KF started its network. Once KF have their international ops in place, a lot of them will switch to international also .

Also even for connecting pax, dpont forget that KF has the biggest big domestic network now (including KF Red). A TRV- BLR-LHR on KF for instance will definitely give the Etihad's, Qatar's and Emirates a stiff competition.

jasepl · Member Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Posts: 4257 Location: bund-bay

TKMCE · Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Posts: 957

Counter question???

How may German companies in BLR?? How many British companies in BLR???

iah87 · Member Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 2566

I hope IT succeeds on the BLR-LHR sector and I am glad that they are out of the BOM/DEL fixation.

IT does have some connecting PAX from Southern India. They may snag some PAX from HYD, Cochin, MAA, etc. HYD does not have any nonstops now untill Dec (BA starts Dec 7) and there are signficant amount of PAX on HYD-LHR sector.

airindia787 · Member Joined: 18 Nov 2007 Posts: 770 Location: DAB & ZTF

Anyone know the actual loads on this flight? VJM said the flight was sold out but it would be interesting to see how many pax actually showed up as well as how many were VIPs or reporters.
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karatecatman · Guest

www.thisismoney.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=451475&in_page_id=2&position=moretopstories
'Harrods' in the sky lands at Heathrow

Amar Singh, Evening Standard
2 September 2008, 12:26pm

India's most flamboyant tycoon will bring his airline to Britain this week in defiance of the credit crunch.

'India's Richard Branson': Vijay Mallya's Kingfisher Airlines will operate from Heathrow

As airlines fold and fuel prices soar, Vijay Mallya has secured a coveted slot at Heathrow for his Kingfisher Airlines which, from tomorrow, will operate daily fights to India's IT hub, Bangalore.
From October, the airline will also operate daily flights to the financial capital Mumbai.

Mr Mallya says Kingfisher offers a business class service superior to Virgin and BA. Speaking at Heathrow today, he said: 'We're Harrods in the sky and, economic downturn or not, people with money to spend will not stop going to Harrods.'

With this in mind he is confident Kingfisher can lure business travellers away from some of the more established airlines.

'We've always focused on delivering superior value - a full-blown first-class experience at a business-class fare.

'It follows the same business model as Virgin Upper Class but our Kingfisher First is more luxurious than Virgin Upper Class. With in-flight dining out of London we have catering from Amaya and Chutney Mary - some of the most awarded Indian restaurants in the UK. We've spared no effort. But let's be clear, we don't discount, our fares are full fares.'

Mr Mallya, 52, who has been dubbed 'India's Richard Branson', added that the current difficulties faced by other airlines were of little concern to him.

'International air travel in and out of India is growing at over 20%. The situation is that 70% of India's total international travel is in the hands of foreign airlines and we want that to change.'

Mr Mallya, who made his name as the chairman of Indian alcohol giant United Breweries also owns India's first Formula One team, Force India, and the richest cricket team in the country's 20-20 league - the Bangalore Royal Challengers. Last year he caused a stir when he bought the Scottish whisky giant Whyte and Mackay for £595m.

But it is since launching Kingfisher Airlines in 2005, that he has attracted most adverse attention. The airline took off amidst a major publicity blitz, with Mr Mallya promising passengers a unique experience.

Kingfisher Airlines: Mallya says international travel to and from India is growingHe called his glamourous flight attendants 'flying models' and promising to hold in-flight beauty pageants, much to the disgust of India's feminist groups.

He said: 'I disagree with anybody who doesn't want to see a pretty lady. I don't know anyone who would prefer an ordinary looking lady.

'We have several air hostesses who are attractive enough to be models and are in fact models. We have strict parameters and requirements regarding weight and height. We go into psychometric testing and see whether they are service orientated - not every pretty girl is service orientated.'

Despite the upsets Mr Mallya has accumulated a vast personal fortune. The father of three is ranked 476 in Fortune's list of the world's wealthiest people and he has 26 homes around the world and a fleet of 260 vintage cars.

***
Pic of the launch conference in Bangalore (Thanks to a source for this)

jasepl · Member Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Posts: 4257 Location: bund-bay

Hahahah! That last photo is funny. Mallya looks like he's going to have an orgasm just looking at her. Razz

vivekman · Member Joined: 26 Dec 2006 Posts: 1897 Location: BOM

karatecatman · Guest

Bangalore-London flight
Kingfisher IT01
(Thanks to a source)

747-237 · Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 6:20 pm Post subject:

Who's the kid in the clown outfit ?

jasepl · Member Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Posts: 4257 Location: bund-bay

Nimish · Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 7:02 pm Post subject:

747-237 · Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 7:07 pm Post subject:

jasepl · Member Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Posts: 4257 Location: bund-bay

haree · Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 10:47 am Post subject:

He's SVM... Not Mallya's latest Eurocopter VTSVM.. but his son Sidd Vijay Mallya

karatecatman · Guest

www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2008/09/05/cnking105.xml
Vijay Mallya aims to leave rivals in his vapour trail
By Alistair Osborne, Business Editor
Last Updated: 6:59am BST 05/09/2008

India's most flamboyant entrepreneur has thrown down the gauntlet to British Airways with the claim that his new airline service from London is vastly superior, including having much prettier air hostesses.

Vijay Mallya, the founder and chairman of fast-growing Kingfisher Airlines, launched his first international route yesterday linking Heathrow with India's IT capital Bangalore - a daily service that puts the carrier in head-to-head competition with BA.

Mr Mallya, 52, who has been dubbed "India's Richard Branson" said he had no concerns about taking on BA in its own backyard just when high oil prices and falling consumer demand were driving other airlines to the wall.

"We offer an infinitely better service. We are the Harrods of the sky," said the sunglasses wearing, swashbuckling Mr Mallya.

"My Kingfisher First cabin is a truly first-class product but it is at BA's business-class prices. We have 180° flat beds, 350 hours of in-flight entertainment as well as live TV. We also have a stand-up bar and lounge."

The man dubbed 'India's Richard Branson' has grand plans
The father-of-three, ranked 476th in Fortune's list of the world's wealthiest people, has 26 homes around the world and 260 vintage cars. He made his fortune as chairman of Indian drinks group United Breweries, the Kingfisher-beer owner that last year acquired Scotch whisky maker Whyte & Mackay for £595m.

He said passengers would not be restricted to UB brands: "No we have a choice of Diageo products as well. I am always fair to my competitors.

"We also have top-quality cuisine, from [London restaurants] Amaya and Chutney Mary, which are absolutely top of the pops."

Asked if the air hostesses were also better looking than BA's, Mr Mallya declared: "Yes they are. I pick them all myself" - no mean feat with Kingfisher employing 1,200. Rolling Eyes

He looks for "height, figure, command of English, manner and style of speaking. They then have a psychometric test. We delve a bit deeper into their inner psyche to see if they are service-oriented, if service comes naturally to them."
Rolling Eyes

By contrast: "I would compare a BA with an Air India, old establishment carriers. Their service is very set, very staid - not as warm, not as friendly." Cool

Neither was Mr Mallya concerned by recent comments from BA chief executive Willie Walsh that airlines were operating in "the worst trading environment" ever.

Mr Mallya said: "Willie Walsh talked about trading conditions facing BA. We should not confuse these generalised comments with the Indian opportunity.

"International air traffic in and out of India is growing at between 16pc and 20pc per annum. Even now economic growth in India was 7.8pc in the last quarter. We have a middle class of 300m people. Three years ago, there were 14,000 pound sterling millionaires. Now there are 200,000."

Despite this, he said, "70pc of total international traffic in and out of India is controlled by foreign carriers", adding it was time Indian airlines fought back. The rise of Kingfisher Airlines has been meteoric, though Mr Mallya still expects it to lose £100m this year - a sum he mainly attributes to swingeing taxes on aviation fuel.

He started the airline only three years ago, but it has come to dominate the Indian market, flying a fleet of 91 aircraft on 465 domestic routes to 65 destinations.

A further five aircraft have been acquired for international expansion, the first being the two Airbus A330-200s flying the Heathrow-Bangalore route, seating 30 passengers in first class and 187 behind.

Next is Heathrow-Mumbai, planned for October, and Bangalore-San Francisco - a route, linking Silicon Valley with its Indian cousin.

He expects the Bangalore route to start breaking even in three months, but on Heathrow-Mumbai, he said: "I know I will have a fight. I'm going to be a fifth operator", taking on Virgin Atlantic, Jet Airways and Air India, as well as BA.

Mr Mallya envisages no more than three Heathrow-India routes for Kingfisher, betraying a rare cautious streak - the same that ensures that the man who also co-owns the Indian Formula One team does nothing he doesn't understand, such as buying a UK football club.

"I hang my hat on the Indian growth story which I understand perfectly well," he says. "I don't want to come here and be stupid and try to take on the world because I know I'll be the first one to come to grief. You cut your coat to suit your cloth."

Mallya keeps changing his figures. He said he expected the Bangalore-London route to break even in 18-24 months. How does it become 3 months now?!!!

con spirito · Member Joined: 07 Apr 2007 Posts: 577 Location: Inflight

karatecatman · Guest

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Kingfisher-Airlines/Airbus-A330-223/1391731/M/

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Kingfisher-Airlines/Airbus-A330-223/1392161/M/

***
Waiting at the other end also!!

Copyright pictures
First pictures of Kingfisher Airbus A330-200 VT-VJK flight IT01 into London Heathrow on September 3, 2008 about to land on 27R.
Time should be 3 p.m. local

Punjabi Boy has to post his pics now!!

Punjabi Boy · Member Joined: 31 Jan 2008 Posts: 219 Location: LONDON LHR

still not figured how to post on this site........

Nimish · Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2008 9:48 am Post subject:

karatecatman · Guest

www.hindu.com/2008/09/06/stories/2008090651871800.htm
We are the Harrods of the sky: Vijay Mallya

September 5, 2008
LONDON:

Quotes
Describing his airlines as the “Harrods of the sky”, Mr. Mallya compared the BA to the ‘staid’ Air India dismissing them rather contemptuously as “old establishment carriers”. (Harrods is a department store in London. The store occupies a 4.5-acre site and has over one million sq. ft. of selling space in over 330 departments.)

“Their service is very set, very staid — not as warm, not as friendly (as Kingfisher’s),” he told The Daily Telegraph claiming: “We offer an infinitely better service. We are the Harrods of the sky.”

Meanwhile, according to one media report, each of 300-odd guests at a banquet held to mark the first anniversary of the U.K.-India Business Council was given a ‘red envelope’ on behalf of Mr. Mallya containing a return ticket to Bangalore with Kingfisher, valid for a year.

Jacobin777 · Member Joined: 28 Jun 2008 Posts: 29 Location: SJC/SFO

I would like to congratulate Dr.VM on this wonderful accomplishment. I hope IT does well on this route.

That being said, I'm a bit skeptical on his comments about "rich people don't care"..

Historically, when the economies goes "south", even "rich" people start curbing expenditures. Only a small % are completely immune.

jasepl · Member Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Posts: 4257 Location: bund-bay

Jaysit · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 4346