India’s UB Group has acquired an Airbus A319 Corporate Jetliner to be operated by its Kingfisher Airlines subsidiary for its chairman, Vijay Mallya.
A Kingfisher source says the airline will receive an A319CJ in January and will send it to Associated Air Center in Dallas, Texas for a VIP cabin retrofit. The aircraft is to be redelivered in September or October next year.
The A319CJ will be Indian-registered and be used to fly Mallya and other UB executives worldwide. Mallya now uses a self-managed US-registered Boeing 727, which he plans to retain.
His liquor company also has two Indian-registered Gulfstream corporate jets operated by its general aviation subsidiary, UB Air.
Kingfisher is to manage the A319CJ because the aircraft has been ordered with the same specifications, including International Aero Engines V2500s, as the carrier’s A320s. Kingfisher operates six A320s with another eight on order and will take the first of three A319s in December. The A319CJ will be operated and maintained by Kingfisher personnel.
BRENDAN SOBIE/SINGAPORE
Source: Flight International
