Kingfisher Airlines Takes Delivery of World’s First ATR Turboprop Aircraft with In-Flight Entertainment System

Toulouse, France, Thursday, January 04, 2007 -- (Business Wire India)

Kingfisher Airlines, India’s fastest growing airline and pioneer in introducing In-flight entertainment onboard its flights on domestic routes, today announces the induction of the world’s first and only ATR 72-500 aircraft facilitating In-flight entertainment system (IFE). The aircraft is the sixth ATR 72-500 delivered to Kingfisher Airlines. All ATR aircraft delivered to Kingfisher Airlines hereon will be equipped with in-flight entertainment system.

Now the Indian air traveler flying between smaller cities connected by Kingfisher Airlines’ ATR aircraft service can also enjoy unlimited in-flight entertainment. The new ATR aircraft being inducted into the fleet on 4th of January will have 17 LCD colour screens spread throughout the cabin. The TV screens operate on a drop down mechanism. No headphones or earphones are required since the audio comes through overhead speakers.

Adds Mr. Hitesh Patel, Executive Vice President, Kingfisher Airlines Limited, “Kingfisher Airlines has several firsts to its credit since its inception. We have always believed in providing the best to our guests. Kingfisher Airlines connects several smaller cities across the country with its ATR72-500 aircraft fleet. The initiative of facilitating IFE onboard our ATR fleet has also been made possible due to our conviction as well as the technical prowess of both the Kingfisher Airlines team as well as that of ATR. It is a landmark achievement, and we are proud to be the owners of the first ever IFE equipped ATR aircraft in the world. Now guests flying the Good Times with Kingfisher Airlines on the ATR routes also will be able to enjoy fabulous IFE service.”

The new IFE, proposed as an option both in ATR 42-500 and ATR 72-500, was certified last November and can be installed on new aircraft during production or also retrofitted on aircraft already delivered. Responding to the airlines needs, ATR will offer better standards of quality and service to passengers according to the ATR principles of high comfort.

Carmine Orsi, VP Engineering, stated: “IFE represents a new step forward in the continuous process of innovation and improvements developed by ATR and will allow our operators to offer an enhanced product to their passengers. Furthermore, the In-Flight Entertainment system, displayed for the first time in the Paris Air Show 2005, may be used as an additional source of revenue generation through advertising, promotion and services.”

About IFE

The In-Flight Entertainment (IFE), provided by France-based Vision Systems, will allow the guests to watch video and audio programs as well as receive commercial adverts and messages from the attendants or the pilot. Light weight LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) video screens (of 126,7mm x 92,7mm and 0,2 Kg weight) are installed in a case integrated into the PSU area. The screens are placed every two seat rows, along both sides of the guest cabin. As an optional feature, to be developed later, the system will be capable of displaying live-views from inside or outside the aircraft.

About ATR

Toulouse, Southern France-based regional aircraft manufacturer ATR is the world leader in the 50 to 74-seat turboprop market. ATR is an equal partnership between Alenia Aeronautica (Finmeccanica group) and EADS. ATR is certified ANSI/ISO/ASQ Q 9001:2000 and EN/AS/JISQ 9100, the worldwide quality standard in the field of aeronautics.

About Kingfisher Airlines

Kingfisher Airlines is India's first and only private airline to receive the prestigious, 'Best New Airline of the Year' award in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East region from the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA). Kingfisher Airlines has also been voted as the 3rd Most Successful Brand Launch of the Year 2005, in the annual Brand Derby Survey conducted by India's leading business daily-Business Standard. In another Survey conducted by agencyfaqs.com and Brand Reporter, Kingfisher was voted as the 7th Buzziest Brand of 2005 amongst 2000 leading national and international brands. More recently, Kingfisher Airlines has bagged the "Service Excellence for a New Airline" award from Skytrax, a UK based specialist global air transport advisor. The latest recognition was where Kingfisher Airlines was voted “India’s Favourite Airline” in an independent survey conducted by a leading national daily.

Previous ATR press releases: http://www.atraircraft.com/press.htm