Decision on merger with Air Deccan after Accenture's report: Mallya

New Delhi, Dec 3 (UNI) Kingfisher Airlines Chairman Vijay Mallya today said any decision on the Air Deccan Kingfisher merger will be taken after consulting firm Accenture submits its report on December 19.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the India Economic Summit here, Dr Mallya said, ''It is premature to comment on the merger and can only be confirmed after Accenture submits its report.'' Global management consulting and technology services company Accenture is working on the merger of Air Deccan and Kingfisher that will permit the carrier to fly abroad. India requires its carriers to have a five-year operational history a fulfilling and meeting a minimum fleet requirement before flying abroad, requirements that Kingfisher wouldn't have met on its own.

Dr Mallya informed that Kingfisher will be soon starting its flight on the Bangalore-San Fransisco and Bangalore-New York routes.

Air Deccan, on the other hand, is expected to start its low cost flight on the south east Asia and West Asia routes.

Dr Mallya said if there was a need of funds, he would revisit the funding option. On the spiralling ATF prices, Dr Mallya expressed his concern and urged the government to lessen its sales tax on ATF.

He added that he would have to rethink the flight frequencies if the ATF continues to be at the current prices.

Dr Mallya informed that the federation of Airlines operators would be meeting in the next two to three days to decide on any hike in the prices of tickets.

UNI