People of India own private airlines: Vijay Mallya

Mumbai, August 01: Kingfisher Airlines owner Vijay Mallya, whose company will join the private airlines strike on August 18, claims the Government is taxing the business to “death”.

Mallya said the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), which comprises five of the country’s biggest private airlines, found running operations unsustainable because of losses and taxes.

“We looked at the operating costs, the forecasted passenger demand and the losses we are suffering. Just because some of us curtailed losses or made a little profit in a quarter doesn’t mean it is sustainable,” Mallya told CNN-IBN on Friday after the FIA press conference in Mumbai where it announced its decision to suspend domestic flights on August 18.

“In the end of the day we are in a business which is becoming increasing unviable only because we are taxed to death–the Government needs to listen to our pleas,” he said.

Mallya urged the Government to help private airlines like its support to Air India, the national carrier. “Air India is owned by the people of India (but) we are also owned by the people of India–we have small public shareholders,” he said.

–Agencies