Kingfisher Airlines was an Indian airline based in Bangalore and was owned by the United Breweries Group. It was founded in 2005 and was the first Indian airline to be rated as a five-star airline by Skytrax. The airline was forced to shut down operations in 2012, due to its inability to pay off its creditors. This article seeks to provide an overview of the airline and its services, fleet, network coverage, amenities onboard, awards and challenges faced by the Airline.
History of Kingfisher Airlines
Kingfisher Airlines was founded in 2005 and was the first Indian airline to be rated as a five-star airline by Skytrax. It was owned by the United Breweries Group and was headquartered in Bangalore. The airline initially started operations with only three Airbus A320 aircraft and by 2008, had a fleet of 26 aircraft.
In 2009, the airline acquired a majority stake in the low-cost airline, Air Deccan, and merged both the airlines under the Kingfisher banner. However, the merger was unsuccessful and the airline was forced to shut down operations in 2012, due to its inability to pay off its creditors.
Kingfisher Airlines Services
Kingfisher Airlines provided three different types of services: Kingfisher First, Kingfisher Class and Kingfisher Red. The Kingfisher First service offered Business Class seats with greater legroom and amenities such as free meals and beverages. The Kingfisher Class service was the equivalent of Economy Class and offered comfortable seating with complimentary snacks and beverages. Lastly, the Kingfisher Red service was the low-cost option and offered basic seating with no amenities.
Fleet of Kingfisher Airlines
At its peak, Kingfisher Airlines had a fleet of 66 aircraft. It operated Airbus A320, Airbus A321 and Airbus A319 aircraft as well as ATR 42/72 turbo props. The airline had also placed an order for five Boeing 777-200ER aircraft but these never entered service.
Network Coverage
At its peak, Kingfisher Airlines operated in more than 66 destinations in India and abroad. The airline had a strong presence in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Bangalore. It also operated international flights to cities like Bangkok, Singapore, London, Dubai and Kathmandu.
Amenities Onboard
Kingfisher Airlines offered a range of amenities onboard its flights. Passengers were offered in-flight entertainment with a selection of movies, music, games and radio. The airline also offered complimentary food and beverages to all its passengers. In addition to this, passengers were also given complimentary newspapers and magazines.
Kingfisher Airlines Awards
Kingfisher Airlines was rated as a five-star airline by Skytrax and won numerous awards during its short tenure. In 2009, the airline won the Best Airline Award at the UK-India Awards. In the same year, the airline was also awarded the Best Airline in India and Central Asia Award at the Business Traveller Asia Pacific Awards.
Challenges Faced by the Airline
Kingfisher Airlines was the first Indian airline to be rated as a five-star airline by Skytrax. However, the airline’s downfall was swift and sudden. The management of the airline was heavily criticized for its over-expansion and poor financial planning. The airline was unable to pay its creditors and was forced to shut down operations in 2012.
Kingfisher Airlines was an Indian airline based in Bangalore and was owned by the United Breweries Group. It was founded in 2005 and was the first Indian airline to be rated as a five-star airline by Skytrax. Unfortunately, the airline was unable to pay its creditors and was forced to shut down operations in 2012. This article provided an overview of the airline and its services, fleet, network coverage, amenities onboard, awards and challenges faced by the Airline.