Air Deccan Reports Rs 213cr Loss

Air Deccan, the Bangalore-based, low-cost air carrier, has posted a loss of Rs 213 crore for the third quarter ended March 2007, attributing it to high operational costs and oversupply creating a weak domestic yield. In the preceding quarter, the airline had reported a profit of Rs 9.64 crore supported by non-passenger revenues. The airline improved its load factor to 83 per cent from 71.75 per cent, flew 1.7 million passengers against 1.07 million and operated 350 flights a day against 230 flights in the corresponding period last year. The airline at its board meeting decided to hive off the charter services into a separate entity via a wholly owned subsidiary and transfer the maintenance and repair facility into a similar separate entity.