Kingfisher Airlines EVP Hitesh Patel puts in papers

NEW DELHI: Kingfisher Airlines (KFA) promoter Vijay Mallya's assurances of restarting the grounded airline now seem to be running thin even with his old associates. KFA executive vice-president Hitesh Patel, who joined Mallya nine years ago and was instrumental in the airline's launch in 2005, has put in his papers. Patel was also active in meetings with the directorate general of civil aviation ( DGCA) and talking to prospective investors after airline was grounded last October.

"Hitesh Patel is returning home to New York and will take a much-needed break before resuming work elsewhere. It was not easy facing the ire of employees and scores of other agencies, who have not been paid for months," said sources.

It is learnt that Patel stuck to the airline when the management was talking to investors but when nothing seemed to materialize, he decided to call it a day.

"The Diageo deal took way too long to be of any help to restarting KFA. Even at this moment, the airline management is talking to an investor. But nothing has materialized," said sources.

In recent weeks, even DGCA chief Arun Mishra has started refusing appointments to the airline's management.