Kingfisher Airlines aims to sell some of the five Airbus A340-500s it has on order, but wants to keep at least two so it can launch ultra-long-haul services from Bangalore to San Francisco.

The carrier's executive vice-president, Hitesh Patel, says all five A340-500s are to be delivered in October and it is working to sell two or three.

Patel says Kingfisher experienced difficulties raising financing for the A340-500s, but that issue has been resolved. "With the price of fuel... we felt it was in our best interests to hold onto [just] a couple of the A340s," rather than five, he says.

Kingfisher was due by the end of August to have taken delivery of four of the five A330s it has on order.

Kingfisher A340-500
 

Source: Flight International