Kingfisher plans daily UK-India flights
Kingfisher Airlines has appointed its first UK and Ireland general manager in preparation for scheduled services between the UK and India planned for later this year.
Subject to regulatory approvals, the Indian airline plans to merge with its partner airline, Air Deccan, and start daily services from the UK and the US to India.
In the new GM role, Sarah Built will lead a sales and marketing team for the region, generating brand awareness, spearheading the airline’s launch and building partnerships with key trade, travel and corporate organisations.
She joins Kingfisher with more than 18 years experience in the aviation industry, including nine years with Swissair/Swiss and senior roles at American Airlines, KLM and Jet Airways.
Kingfisher and Air Deccan currently operate 550 domestic flights a day and claim a 30% share of the Indian market.
Owned by the $4 billion conglomerate United Breweries Group, Kingfisher currently has 20 widebody aircraft on order, including five Airbus A380s.
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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