Kingfisher Airlines selects SITA for leading edge data link services

"We have selected SITA INC because of their ability to provide nationwide VHF data communications coverage which allows us to centralize our operations at Mumbai, in the heart of India. SITA is also committed to improving the VHF Ground Station network," said Mr. Hitesh Patel, Vice-President - Engineering, Kingfisher Airlines.

SITA already has four VHF Ground Stations operational at Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Calcutta with two more being installed at Port Blair and Trivandrum. SITA INC, the world's largest provider of IT solutions to the air transport industry, is now in the process of installing VHF stations at 17 new sites in India as well as upgrading existing sites.

"We have been part of Indian aviation success for many years and we are very happy to work with an ambitious new arrival like Kingfisher Airlines. Once Kingfisher Airlines' Strategic Operations Control Centre is operational, then data received via the VHF AIRCOM data link service will realize cost savings in areas like flight dispatch, maintenance and fuel control. The ability to depend on data rather than voice communications will also relieve the pressure on pilots," said Mr. Jamal El-Hoss, SITA INC's Vice President Middle East, Africa, South & Central Asia.

Kingfisher Airlines intends to phase in one new aircraft every two months. The fleet will be an all Airbus A319 and A320 fleet with an estimated total of 37 aircraft by 2008. The SITA VHF AIRCOM Datalink service today provides services to over 5,000 aircraft from more than 120 airlines around the world.