Vijay Mallya broke his silence on the Kingfisher Airlines crisis and issued a public apology to his former employees in a recent podcast with YouTuber Raj Shamani. Mallya expressed regret over the unpaid salaries of his airline staff, saying, “I am deeply sorry for what happened… I am deeply sorry that some of them didn’t get paid their salaries. I have no excuses to offer; I take full responsibility.”
Mallya Elaborating On The Unpaid Employees’ Situation
The 69-year-old businessman, who has been facing allegations of bank loan fraud amounting to over ₹9,000 crore, claimed that he tried to release the pending salaries but was blocked by legal restrictions. “There was money deposited with the Karnataka High Court. I specifically applied to court to pay the salaries of Kingfisher Airlines staff, the banks objected, and the court refused the permission. There was really nothing I could do beyond that,” he explained.
This response came when Shamani asked what Mallya would say to the Kingfisher employees who lost their jobs and still feel betrayed.
Mallya On Kingfisher Airlines Struggling During The 2008 Global Financial Crisis
Mallya discussed the struggles of Kingfisher Airlines in-depth during the 2008 global financial crisis. He said he had approached then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, proposing to scale down operations and reduce staff due to worsening economic conditions. He said that the government suggested he maintain connectivity and avoid layoffs. “I was told not to downsize Kingfisher, and yes, banks did offer support,” he added.
The former owner of the Royal Challengers Bangalore cricket team has been living in the UK since 2016, after fleeing India to avoid arrest in a massive loan default case. During the podcast, he said he’s willing to return to India if he’s guaranteed a fair trial.
Through this podcast, Mallya aimed to clear the air, accepting responsibility for the downfall of Kingfisher Airlines while pointing fingers at legal and systemic barriers that, according to him, prevented him from doing more.
