Grounded Indian airline Kingfisher has had its international and domestic traffic rights withdrawn by the country’s civil aviation regulator.
Kingfisher, which suspended services in October 2012 as it battled mounting debts and staff unrest, was told today (February 25) by India’s Civil Aviation Ministry that it would be losing all of its international bilateral flying rights and domestic airport slots because it had not been using them.
It is another major blow to the airline, which last month lost its operating licence, as it tries to find new investment that would allow it to resume services.
Kingfisher had rights to fly to eight countries outside India including seven services per week to the UK from Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. The airline stopped flying from the UK in April 2012 as its financial problems intensified.
The ministry added in a statement: “These international traffic rights have been withdrawn from Kingfisher Airlines on account of non-utilisation by the airline.
“The civil aviation minister has decided to make these international traffic rights available to other carriers for use. This would give additional availability of approximately 25,000 seats per week for use by other Indian carriers to these eight countries, some of which are much in demand by these carriers.
“Similarly it has also been decided to withdraw the domestic slots which 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.”
Kingfisher has yet to make an official comment on the decision by the Civil Aviation Ministry.