April 24, 2007: Maintenance, repair and overhaul is something airline companies ensure before they take flight. India’s fastest growing airline Kingfisher Airlines has also give this fact some serious thought and has headed for Abu Dhabi.

The Vijay Mallya promoted airline is said to be in talks with an Abu Dhabi-based engineering firm to start a private maintenance, repair and overhaul facility in India. Reports said that Kingfisher and the Abu Dhabi firm have already agreed to set up this facility. However, the venue, the amount of money to be involved ad several other factors needed to be finalised upon.

The airline is currently seriously considering flying on international routes but has been on a lull due to the fact that it needed government nod to fly global. Mallya has found a way out on this front too by deciding to apply for starting an airline in the US to enable it to operate flights into India. The application is being compiled by Kingfisher attorneys and it will be submitted to the American authorities in eight weeks time, reports quoting the KF boss said.

The Indian government’s permission to this effect is yet to come. However, Mallya is optimistic that it will happen. But he is not taking chances. If at all the Indian administration doesn’t give permission to fly international, Kingfisher would operate international services under the US-based Kingfisher International brand and may think of flying into India from the US and back.