Debt-laden Kingfisher Airlines has asked most of its staff members “to stay home” in cities around the country to which it has “temporarily suspended” flights, although at the company’s rolls. The airline which used to operate to about 60 destinations now flies to less than 30 cities. Kolkata, Hyderabad, Patna, Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram and Bhubaneshwar are among the cities to which the airline has “temporarily suspended” operations.
The decision to shut these centres comes amid strong speculation that Kingfisher would come up with a revival plan on Tuesday and name the investor willing to pump funds into the cash-starved airline. Technically not laying off employees, Kingfisher termed this arrangement a 'holding pattern' till such time as the airline is fully capitalized. Much of this, however, according to Kingfisher, depends on decisions by the government and bankers and the policy of allowing foreign airlines to pick up stake in it.
The airline now operates about 120 daily flights down from more than the 400 flights that it operated earlier. The airline's staff strength in November last year was about 6,500, and around 1,000 employees have left over the past couple of months as the crisis deepened, including pilots who have deserted to join rival carriers.
The beleaguered airlines have also put curtains on international operations from March 25, 2012. After this, there will be no flights to Dubai, Colombo, Kathmandu and Bangkok of the Kingfisher Airlines.
