Kingfisher to invest Rs 150 cr to train cabin crew

Kolkata, Feb 12: Kingfisher Airlines will invest about Rs. 150 crore over the next three years for its academies to train cabin crews across the country, Executive Vice-President Rajesh Verma today said.

"We shall invest about Rs.150 crore for opening these academies in 20 cities of the country.The company has planned to train more than 6,000 students in aviation and hospitality services during the present calendar year," he told reporters. The training Academy is aimed at meeting the fast increasing skilled manpower demand in the aviation and hospitality sectors, Mr.Verma said.

Kingfisher Airlines, after its merger with Air Deccan in April, will have an international operations license from August. The company will immediately start daily international flights between Bangalore and San Francisco, Bangalore-New York and Mumbai-London from August, he said.

The board of directors of Kingfisher Airlines Ltd and Deccan Aviation Ltd has decided to allot shareholders of Kingfisher Airlines three shares in Deccan Aviation for every seven shares held in Kingfisher.

The board also considered sale of the charter business of Deccan Aviation into a separate entity to be jointly owned by Captain G.R.

Gopinath and the UB Group. The sale consideration is based on valuation carried out by independent valuation firm, Grant Thornton, appointed by the Board.

Kingfisher, the merged entity, will retain both the Kingfisher and Deccan brands. Deccan, rechristened as Deccan-Kingfisher, will continue as a low-fare airline.

Mr. Verma said the company would have a fleet strength of 81 following the merger and it would add ten more aircraft--five A330 and as many A 340 shortly.

UNI