Kingfisher Airlines Partners with Paymate to Launch FLYBUYSMS™, the First of its Kind Sms- Based Mobile Flight Ticketing Service

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Kingfisher Airlines, India's most premium airline today announced the launch of FLYBUYSMS™, India's first SMS-based ticketing service that works across all mobile networks in India. This service innovation is the result of a strategic alliance with PayMate, India's leading wireless transactions company.

With the introduction of FLYBUYSMS™, Kingfisher Airlines becomes the first airline in India to introduce an SMS-based service which allows customers to 'search, book and pay' for tickets start-to finish on the mobile itself. Being an SMS-based service, it is easy to use and works on any handset model or operator. Here's how it works:

Step 1: SEARCH
SMS KING < From City > < To City > < Date of Travel > to 5r667711 E.g. FLY Mumbai Delhi 25Oct

Step 2: BOOK
You will receive an SMS detailing all Kingfisher Airlines flights on the sector with departure time and best available fares. To book, reply to the SMS with the preferred flight option and guest's name.

Step 3: PAY
To buy the ticket, PayMate users can authorize the payment via SMS with their PayMate PIN. Non-PayMate users can pay securely with their credit card over an automatic IVR call-back. The booking details will be sent to customers shortly via SMS.

Commenting on the launch of this new service, Dr. Vijay Mallya, Chairman & CEO, Kingfisher Airlines said, "Kingfisher Airlines has always been at the forefront of innovation in the aviation industry. We have to our credit, several firsts in India, including being the first airline to operate with a fleet of brand new aircraft, the first to offer personalized in-flight entertainment, the first to offer home delivery of tickets and the first to offer a premium First Class service in the domestic skies. This SMS-based ticketing service is yet another effort to offer our guests unparalleled convenience via a world-class reservation facility."

Ajay Adiseshann, Managing Director and Founder, PayMate said, "Considering the rapid proliferation of mobile handsets in the country, the cell phone will emerge as the premier device for conducting transactions. With the introduction of the Kingfisher Airlines - Paymate offering, customers will no longer be limited to internet bookings or bookings via their travel agents. It will be a truly anytime, anywhere experience targeted at anyone with a mobile handset. The simplicity of using SMS and the convenience of the mobile medium will make it a compelling ticketing channel in the near future and what better than partnering with India's most preferred airline."

Vikram Malhotra, Head-Marketing, Kingfisher Airlines, added, "In a world where time is becoming the most precious asset, the challenge is to reach out to our customers rather than waiting for them to reach out to us. Kingfisher Airlines has always relied on innovative distribution models to provide unmatched access to its guests in the most convenient ways possible. Initiatives like online selling, home delivery of tickets, selling through bank ATMs, Reliance Web Worlds and the likes form a significant part of our strategy of making it extremely simple for our guests to book tickets on Kingfisher Airlines.

FLYBUYSMS™ is the first-of-its-kind service in India, through which a Kingfisher Airlines ticket can be booked anywhere, anytime. This will enable guests to access Kingfisher Airlines at their own convenience and in real-time."

About Kingfisher Airlines

Kingfisher Airlines is India's favourite airline and the only one to offer a premium first class service on domestic routes. Besides being the first and the only airline to offer in-flight entertainment on every seat in the domestic skies, Kingfisher Airlines is the only one to offer LIVE TV with 16 channels of live & exciting content. Kingfisher Airlines has received over two dozen awards for innovation, customer responsiveness and was voted the 'Best New Airline of the Year' within months of its launch.

Kingfisher Airlines is part of The UB Group which is one of India's largest conglomerates with diverse interests and a global presence. The UB Group is also the largest Indian manufacturer of beverage alcohol (beer & spirits) and the second largest drinks Group in the world. Kingfisher Airlines flies to 32 cities and offers over 200 flights daily with a fleet of 31 brand new aircraft.

With its significant investment in Air Deccan, the Kingfisher-Air Deccan Group is India's largest domestic airline connecting 69 cities and offering over 550 flights daily with a fleet of 75 aircraft.

For more information on Kingfisher Airlines, please visit www.flykingfisher.com

About PayMate

PayMate India Private Limited is a mobile commerce solutions company based in Mumbai. PayMate was founded in May 2006 by Ajay Adiseshann, Founder and MD, Coruscant Tec and Co-founder, & Director Probir Roy. In a short span of time, PayMate India has partnered with top MNCs, State owned and Co-operative Banks to offer its unique mobile payment solution - PayMate.

PayMate is already accepted at over 3000 merchants and can be used to pay for purchase online, over the phone and across the counter via the mobile. For a detailed list of partners and merchants log on to www.paymate.co.in. PayMate is the only Indian company to have been selected by Red Herring among Asia's Top 100 start-ups two years in succession.

PayMate India is funded by Silicon Valley based Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Sherpalo Ventures who have helped build some of the world's leading brands and companies like Google, Amazon, AOL, Netscape Sun Microsystems etc.

For more information log on to www.paymate.co.in

Source: Kingfisher Airlines (Business Wire India)

Press release presented here is sourced from the Source mentioned above and is provided on as-is basis. Please contact the Company / Source directly for any further information in regard to this release. This website will be unable to assist you in regard to the accuracy or correctness of information in this release.