KFA's slots, foreign rights withdrawn

“These international rights have been withdrawn from Kingfisher Airlines on account of non-utilisation by the airlines,” said the civil aviation ministry in a statement issued on Monday.

“Similarly it has also been decided to withdraw the domestic slots that were allocated to Kingfisher Airlines at different airports for domestic flights. Airports Authority of India has been directed to make these slots available to other domestic carriers as per their demand.”

The liquor baron Vijay Mallya-owned airline has not flown since October 1 and its scheduled operators permit expired on December 31. The airline stopped international operations as of April 2012.

Before April 2012, the airline had stopped flying to many international destinations.

The airline had rights to fly to eight countries. It had rights to fly 14 flights per week each to Bangladesh and Hong Kong, seven each to Nepal and Singapore, seven flights per week to UK from Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore, 21 each to Thailand and UAE. Kingfisher also could fly 14 flights per week to Sri Lanka.

The aviation ministry said that the slots would be available to other airlines for their use. “This would give additional availability of approximately 25,000 seats per week for use by Indian carriers to these eight countries, some of which are much in demand by these carriers,” said the ministry’s statement.

Analysts said that rights

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