Kingfisher says sorry for flight cancellations, offers free tickets

MUMBAI: After a series of flight cancellations in February, Kingfisher Airlines is now trying to woo its travellers and travel agents back. In a mail sent to various travel agencies, the airline’s CEO, Sanjay Aggarwal, apologised for the cancellations and offered a free ticket to all passengers affected by cancellations between 17 and 26 February. “I deeply regret the inconvenience many of your customers, who were booked on Kingfisher between 17 and 26 February, faced due to the unforeseen schedule disruption.

Please do accept my sincere apologies to you and your staff for the anxiety and extra effort caused by these sudden cancellations,” the mail stated. “We are not only apologizing to them (the passengers) but, as a token of goodwill, offering them a free ticket,” it added. Aggarwal said that the airline is now operating 200 daily flights between 46 destinations and all agents will be kept in the loop in case of a change of schedule. In order to consolidate its image and garner the faith of tour operators, who were largely in the dark when Kingfisher cancelled its flights, Aggarwal said the airline will extend all help in case of any further flight cancellations. If there is any cancellation in the next 60 days, the agent can book his client on another flight (if a Kingfisher alternative is not available) and the airline will pay the difference between the original and the new fare. Rajesh Rateria, managing director, Cirrus Travels, said Kingfisher is trying hard to woo flyers.

A client, whose flight from Singapore got cancelled, was given hotel accommodation by the airline till he boarded the next flight, Rateria added. Tour operators said the mail is intended to build confidence among agents and flyers. “There are no new bookings for Kingfisher. This mail may help reduce the skepticism,” a Fort-based agent said. (Economic Times)