Kingfisher to have 15 pc market share by 2007

Mumbai, May 10: Kingfisher Airlines, India's fastest growing private carrier, has said it will target a 15 per cent market share by 2007.

''We have aggressive growth plans for the coming year and are looking at a market share of 15 per cent as our target,''Kingfisher Airline's Chairman and CEO Vijay Mallya said while addressing his guests on board several flights on the occasion of Kingfisher Airline's first anniversary yesterday.

Kingfisher Airlines completed one year of operations on May 9.

''Our understanding of the emerging new India has set us on the path to create a product and service offering designed to truly delight air travelers,'' Dr Mallya said.

The Airlines had taken its maiden flight from Mumbai to Bangalore on May 9 last year.

The airlines was the first private Indian carrier to go in for a brand new fleet of aircraft to ensure on time performance and a technical edge over other players.

The airlines, which Connects 15 Indian cities and operates 70 flights a day, also has a state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment system for every single seat.

It recently placed an order for the ultra long haul A340-500 capable of flying non-stop from India to the US. The first wide body aircraft of Kingfisher Airlines is due for delivery in 2007.

Currently, the aircraft that have joined the fleet of Kingfisher Airlines include 8 new A320s, 3 new A319s and 2 new ATR 72-500s.

Ten more aircraft are slated to join the fleet of Kingfisher Airlines during the remainder of calendar 2006 and by 2010, Kingfisher Airlines will have 69 aircraft in its fleet.

UNI