Kingfisher seeks more time to submit revival plan to DGCA

Cash-strapped Kingfisher Airlines, which is yet to pay part dues to its employees, has sought more time to submit a comprehensive revival plan to the aviation regulator DGCA.

The beleaguered carrier has written a letter to Civil Aviation Secretary K N Shrivastava seeking more time to submit its plan to get the suspension of its flying permit revoked, sources said. In the letter, the liquor baron Vijay Mallya-owned airline is understood to have said it was holding discussions with all stakeholders, including the Airports Authority of India, and its lenders as it had earlier promised to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

The letter came a day after its employees threatened to chalk out an action plan next week if they did not receive their May salaries by November 17. Employees' sources said they had not received the dues even today. The communication also came in the backdrop of airport operators asking the DGCA to keep on hold the renewal of Kingfisher's license until their dues are cleared.

While no timeframe has been set for the debt-ridden airline to submit a comprehensive financial and operational revival plan, its flying license or scheduled operator's permit (SOP), which is suspended now, is slated to expire in any case on December 31 this year.