HPCL grounds Kingfisher flights over jet fuel dues

19 Jul 2011 Evaluate

Over 12 Kingfisher Airlines flights were grounded at the country’s four major airports for two hours after Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) refused to supply fuel due to non-payment of dues. HPCL is the largest supplier of jet fuel to Kingfisher. The airline is supposed to make payments to the oil marketing company every 60 days. The deadline expired last week. The flights resumed from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai airports after the airline made a part-payment. Kingfisher’s dues had touched Rs 650 crore, of which Rs 170 crore was not covered by guarantees.

Indian Oil Corporation has put the airline on a cash and carry system. BPCL does not supply fuel to the airline. BPCL withdrew supplies to the airline after it had to move the Bombay High Court to get its Rs 300 crore dues. Later, in an out-of-court settlement, BPCL gave the airline one year to pay the dues, including interest. As of now, Kingfisher owes BPCL Rs 35 crore. In case of a default by the airline, BPCL has a bank guarantee worth Rs 40 crore.

The UB Group-controlled Kingfisher Airlines is in a financial crisis. It was recently threatened by GMR, which operates Delhi and Hyderabad airports, that it will be put on a cash and carry system after the airline’s dues touched Rs 90 crore (Rs 68 crore for Delhi and Rs 22 crore for Hyderabad). The airline is the only listed carrier to have not turned profitable. It reported a net loss in the last financial year. It ended the 2010-11 financial year with a loss of Rs 1,027 crore. With approval from banks, Kingfisher Airlines in December restructured its over Rs 7,000 crore debt. The package included conversion of about 30 per cent debt by banks into capital and a loan of Rs 735 crore from parent company UB Holdings into equity.

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