From Bird Strikes to Bank Accounts- Not seeking bailouts, confirms Kingfisher

Another Press Statement-

Mumbai, February 20, 2012—Kingfisher Airlines Ltd. would like to reiterate and clarify as follows:

1.     The prime reason for the current disruption in our flight schedules is the sudden attachment of our bank accounts by the IT department. This has severely affected our ability to make operational payments leading to the present curtailment. The revised schedule has been updated in the system.

2.     We are in dialogue with the tax authorities to agree a payment plan and get the bank accounts unfrozen at the earliest. We are appealing to them to see reason that inconvenience to the travelling public is not in anybody's interests.

3.     Employee salaries can be paid and the grounded aircraft can be recovered quicker once the bank accounts are unfrozen and the schedule restored on priority.

4.     About 15% of our flights operating consistently for the past 3 months have been cancelled and we have done and are doing our best to inform guests in advance of cancellations and clubbing and to re-book them on other carriers.

5.     If the guests so desire, we are offering them a full refund.

6.     Our teams are in close touch with our travel trade partners to keep them abreast of the disruptions so that they too can, in turn, ensure that guests contacting them / booking via them are kept updated of any changes.

7.     We’ve been in touch with the DGCA to keep them informed of the disruptions.

8.     We will appear before the DGCA tomorrow and submit all details they want and also a plan to restore the full schedule.

9.     We would like to reassure our valued guests that there are absolutely no safety issues with the aircraft that are operating.

10.  We have had a constructive meeting with our bank consortium last week.

11.  As stated earlier, we have not approached the Government of India for any "bail out".

12.  We understand from media that certain positive decisions were taken at a recent GOM meeting which will benefit the industry and also Kingfisher Airlines.

13.  We have adequate numbers of flight crew and cabin crew to operate our schedule of flights.

Kingfisher Airlines deeply regrets the inconvenience caused to its valued guests on account of the current disruptions.

Prakash Mirpuri
Vice President - Corporate Communications
Kingfisher Airlines Limited