Don't write the epitaph of Kingfisher Airlines: Mallya

Vijay Mallya, the owner of India's beleaguered Kingfisher Airlines, blamed high fuel taxes and airport charges for its woes Tuesday after posting a quarterly loss of 4.69 billion rupees ($93 million) amid cancellations of hundreds of flights.

Vijay Mallya, the brewery tycoon who is part-owner of India's second-biggest airline, told reporters that Kingfisher hadn't asked the government or its banks for a bailout or failed to pay its fuel suppliers.

He also defended the company's decision to cut flights on loss-making routes.

"To write the epitaph of Kingfisher Airlines constantly is not fair," he said.

Text: Agencies

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