Airbus to pump in $1 billion in India

9 May, 2007: As the super jumbo landed in the national capital during the weekend, it brought with it many a reason for India to rejoice. The aircraft’s maiden trip to New Delhi marked the second anniversary of private domestic carrier Kingfisher Airlines.

The event also marked the announcement by Airbus Industries that it plans to invest close to one billion dollars in the country in the next decade. The aviation major feels that its superjumbo Airbus A380 would raise the profile of its only customer in the country, ie Kingfisher Airlines. The Vijay Mallya promoted airline is the only Indian airline and among 16 airlines globally to have ordered the plane from the European manufacturer.

Airbus had earlier in February said in Bangalore that it would invest one billion dollars in the country during the next decade, but the confirmation comes as the airline pursues massive cost-cutting linked to low demand and production delays of the giant passenger jet, said a report.

Significantly enough, Kingfisher has ordered five A380s in 2005 among 15 planes in a deal worth about three billion dollars. The first delivery of the aircraft in 2011 as it draws up plans for an international debut, using the A380 which has been much delayed in production on high-density routes such as to the United States, the report added.