Recently in India Category

We've all been there. One misheard quote and suddenly your journalistic creativity runs riot while your common-sense filter is out on a tea-break. Even on a publication as venerable as The Times of India.

Can't say I was at the press conference, but a quick check of other Indian papers suggests minister Ashwani Kumar actually said those second- and third-tier cities would be served by a "70- to 100-seat" aircraft...

Kingfisher Airlines chairman and Indian billionaire Vijay Mallya has splashed the cash on a totally different kind of purchase, far removed from the bling he's normally associated with. Mallya has spent $1.8 million on a selection of possessions belonging to Indian peace activist and political leader Mahatma Gandhi.

The possessions, which were controversially auctioned off in New York, include a pair of sandals, a pocket watch and Gandhi's trademark round spectacles.

I'm not sure what Gandhi - who was assassinated in 1948 - would make of the fact that somebody has spent such an enormous amount of money on these few possessions. After all, he lived very simply and did not embrace materialism. But maybe he'd be pleased that such a major part of India's history is being returned to India.

Mallya - often referred to as India's Richard Branson - is more commonly associated with spending his millions on things like Formula 1 motor racing, but perhaps this latest purchase shows a more spiritual side of his flamboyant personality.

Take a look at our cover interview with Mallya from 2006, and also our web video of the man himself from last year's Farnborough air show.

They've both got big egos and have not been shy of giving the other a good verbal bashing from time to time, but Naresh Goyal and VJ Mallya have proved they are men for the big occasion by putting aside their differences and teaming up.

It is a remarkable bonding after a brief affair that has been wholly brought on by spiralling losses in India's domestic makret. Goyal, the founder of Jet Airways, has warned of even deeper losses this year, while Mallya has been finding it tough to find a good use for several Airbus wide and narrowbodies parked up in France.

So, the announcement today of a wide-ranging alliance is a sensible move from the two, who have risen to prominence because of business acumen, strong personal drive, and now, clearly the ability to swallow their pride, swallow their losses and make the bold steps necessary for survival.

I for one will be fascinated to see the details of this new alliance. Already I'm wondering what the eventual merged carrier will be called, for surely that is the end game.

JetFisher?

KingJet?

This is today's Jet Airways press release headline:

JET AIRWAYS ANNOUNCES OPTIMIZATION OF ITS
LONG-HAUL INTERNATIONAL NETWORK

What!? Don't you mean CUT BACK? Of course they do, I didn't even need to open the release to know this. But have the good grace to tell it how it is. And as one of my learned colleagues mentioned, cutting back is hardly a big sin in these tough times is it?

Here's the text of the actual story:

October 10, 2008: In light of the downturn in major economies worldwide, more specifically in the USA and UK, Jet Airways plans to optimize its network, focusing more on its established international gateways and routes.

As part of the same, the airline's Mumbai-Shanghai-San Francisco route will be discontinued effective January 13, 2009.

Passenger traffic between India and San Francisco will be served via Jet Airways' London gateway in cooperation with partner airlines.

Jet Airways has already announced a code share partnership with United Airlines with convenient connections between Mumbai and several US points via London in both directions. This will enable Jet Airways to continue to serve its San Francisco customers, under a 9W flight number, in a more economically viable manner. 

OK, so this route is bleeding money and despite the fanfare with which it was launched it's got to go - fair enough Jet. But tell it like it is please!

Kingfisher's chairman VJ Mallya is following in the footsteps of Virgin's Richard Branson and Niki Lauda of Lauda Air in taking a personal interest in choosing the cabin crew that walk the aisles of his airliners.

Find out what this great Indian looks for in this good piece in the Telegraph today.

We talked recently to VJ at Farnborough and got him on video.

Here's the cover interview our Singapore Editor Nicholas Ionides did with VJ and the latest on Kingfisher's international route plans.

VJ Mallya has been captured by the BBC talking about his plans for launching Kingfisher Airlines onto the international stage.

He says that the first services kick off at the end of August/early September with a service either from Bombay or Bangalore to London.

The FT reports that Kingfisher is in talks with KLM to grab a pair of its spare slots at London Heathrow to add to the pair it has obtained (for free) from the limited slot pool at the airport. As a start-up it has the ability to gain slots from this pool.

The interview ranges over which drinks brand his UB Group could buy next and the performance of his Indian Premium League Cricket Club.

Airline Business Asia-Pacific editor Nicholas Ionides did this cover interview with the great man in 2006.