 | « Back to article | Print this article |
No-frill carrier Kingfisher Airlines on Monday signed a contract for buying five Airbus A 340-500 long-haul aircraft and an option to acquire five more, with plans to operate direct flights to the US.
The deal was signed in a ceremony by Kingfisher chairman Vijay Mallya and Airbus Industrie CEO Gustav Humbert in the presence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
All the five A 340-500s would be powered by Rolls Royce Trent 500 engines, an Airbus spokesperson said, adding that these aircraft were the "latest high gross weight versions" which allow higher payloads for transportation.
Mallya said the airline would be able to open a completely new market with these ultra long haul planes.
"For the first time, we will be able to offer direct non-stop services between India and the US and these aircraft will have a unique configuration giving passengers extra space and comfort on their long flights," Mallya said.
Kingfisher already flies eight Airbus A-320s and four A-319s on domestic routes and would be receiving 30 more single-aisle aircraft from Airbus in a phased manner, for which it has already placed firm orders. These include five of the world's largest planes -- the Airbus A-380s, whose deliveries are scheduled from 2010.
The Airbus chief said his company had developed a "strong relationship" with Kingfisher to help it build its rapidly expanding fleet.