Kingfisher to launch Bangalore London Heathrow from September 3

Kingfisher Airlines - Air Deccan will commence its much awaited international operations on September 3, 2008, offering Bangalore to London Heathrow non-stop service using its newly arrived Airbus A330 aircraft.

As per the airline website, the schedules are :

BLR-LHR IT1 0840 - 1450
LHR-BLR IT2 2205 - 1235+1

More details on the Kingfisher website.

Totally four A330 aircraft have arrived. While other schedules are yet to be announced, it is almost certain that Mumbai - London will be the next city pair to be served, followed by Bangalore - Singapore by late September. All using the A330 aircraft.

The ultra long range Airbus A340-500 aircraft are expected to arrive by end September. There is intense business planning on the Bangalore - San Francisco non-stop. Sky high fuel prices (pardon the pun), have forced many carriers like Thai to discontinue their A340-500 ultra long haul non-stop operations, or like Singapore Airlines to covert their service in to an all business class format.

Dr. Vijay Mallya is a maverick business leader, which deep pockets, and renowned for his bold decisions. Given the high passenger demand between "Silicon Plateau" and "Silicon Valley", I would not be surprised, if he commences the Bangalore San Francisco service, by early October, regardless of the fuel economics.

Bangalore - Hong Kong - San Francisco is another possible route.

All the Asian carriers operating from Bangalore, Singapore, Thai, Malaysian, Dragonair, are bound to feel the impact of Dr. Mallya's entry, and it will behoove them to forge interline alliances with him.