New Delhi: Kingfisher chief Vijay Mallya on Monday apologised to passengers affected by its flight cancellations and said that he hoped the bank accounts were defrozen soon. "I apologis profusely to the affected passengers. We tried to reach out to many booked passengers. We are not in a comfortable cash position. We are not ashamed about it. We have been requesting working capital from consortium bankers. They have said that the government's view on the aviation sector was not favourable."
He added, "SBI Capitals has done a viability study which is positive. Government has announced that htey would allow FDI and allow fuel import for aviation sector. There is a lot to look forward to."
The liquor baron admitted the freezing of their bank accounts by the Income Tax authorities had crippled the airline. "We have continued to operate our operations. Our bank accounts have been frozen very suddenly. It has crippled us. We don't deny that we owe them dues," he said.
He added that the airline company was cooperating with the DGCA and the tax authorities.
"Prior to the freeze, we had made payments. That is seeing us through. If accounts are kept frozen, then it will affect us," he said. "KFA is struggling today. I would make no bones about it," he added.
When asked about the government's refusal to bail out the crisis-hit airline, he said KFA had never approached the government for financial assistance. "We have never asked for a bailout. We as a private company never asked for a bailout. We just asked for a level playing field. The economics of the whole situation cannot be ignored. The government and industry must work together."
Mallya added that he was sure the KFA would emerge from the crisis soon. "We don't live to create image. I try to do my best. KFA is struggling today. I would make no bones about it. We just need the support of the government to fix this problem."
"KFA would keep going unless some government agency wishes to ground it. Don't write the epitaph of Kingfisher yet," he signed off.
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