A question mark still hangs over the operations of Kingfisher Airlines.

The Director General of Civil Aviation is still not convinced about the airlines' ability to defray its liability.

Briefing newspersons after a close to two-hour long meeting with the airline Chairman and Managing Director, Mr Vijay Mallya, the DGCA, Mr Bharat Bhushan, said, “I do not see that (defraying liabilities) emerging. Last meeting we had, they were talking about paying salaries by a particular date. I do not get that assurance even now. These are factors that are weighing on my mind. We will take a call.”

The DGCA said that “as on date there is no plan to cancel the airline licence.” He, however, cautioned that it is too early to decide on the fate of the airline.

“What conclusion I cannot share with you. He has submitted a lot of papers. I need time. I will make a status report to the Government which hopefully will have a recommendation on the way forward. There is no deadline. We will make a recommendation that can be as early as tomorrow,” he added.

My Mallya informed the DGCA that the Income Appellate in Bangalore has passed an order defreezing banks accounts of the company. He, however, declined to disclose the quantum of funds which will be made available.

“I informed him that we are not going to submit an ambitious target of flights during summer. Kingfisher will operate a holding schedule which is readily available aircraft with spare aircraft to maintain schedule integrity,” Mr Mallya said. The airline has decided not to operate international flights as it has been suspended from the Billing Settlement Plan of the International Air Transport Association.

“Till BSP with IATA is restored it makes no sense to operate international flights as we do not have any booking platform,” he said.

> ashphadnis@thehindu.co.in

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