Low-cost airline Air Kerala secures NOC from civil aviation ministry, plans regional launch in 2025
New Delhi: Air Kerala, a new airline planned by a UAE-based company, is set to launch in early 2025. Based in Kochi, Kerala, the airline aims to connect routes within the state and other tier II and III cities in India using ATR-72 turboprop aircraft.
Air Kerala revives a two-decade-old ambition of Kerala having its own airline. The airline, promoted by UAE-based businessmen Afi Ahmed and Ayub Kallada, has received initial no-objection clearance from the civil aviation ministry. The airline hopes to start operations in the first quarter of 2025 with three ATR-72 aircraft and an initial investment of ₹60-100 crore. Key post holders have been identified, and the airline will soon apply for an air operator permit.
The airline has drafted a connectivity blueprint for 53 airports and plans to hire 350 personnel during its inaugural year of operations. It will target routes within Kerala and cities such as Salem, Madurai, Hubli, and Pune based on traffic demand. Kerala, currently home to four airports (Kannur, Kochi, Kozhikode, and Thiruvananthapuram), sees more international traffic than domestic. However, domestic traffic is also growing, with Thiruvananthapuram witnessing a 40% rise in domestic passengers over the past year, the highest among the four airports.
Managing operating costs and competing with established airlines flying larger capacity planes are significant challenges for Air Kerala. A former CEO of a budget airline noted that state support in terms of cost concessions and revenue guarantees could aid the fledgling business. Limited intra-state air traffic exists, with IndiGo operating a single daily flight on the Thiruvananthapuram-Kochi-Kannur route and Air India Express flying twice weekly between Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur. Marketing tie-ups with tourist attractions and wellness centers in Kerala could benefit the airline.
Operating with ATR-72 aircraft could be challenging due to the limitation of capacity and competitive fares. Achieving yields for viable and sustainable operations amidst entrenched competition from airlines operating with A320/B737 aircraft is crucial. Additionally, the availability of trains connecting major cities in Kerala poses another challenge. Industry experts believe that government support through cost concessions and guaranteed revenue could help Air Kerala establish itself in the market.
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Niqab incident: Nitish Kumar perhaps revealing his true colours, says J-K CM
Srinagar (PTI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday criticised his Bihar counterpart over the niqab incident and said that Nitish Kumar might be slowly revealing his true nature.
"Nitish Kumar, who was once considered a secular leader, may be slowly showing his true colours," Abdullah told reporters here on the sidelines of a function.
Abdullah said Kumar removing the face veil of a Muslim woman doctor was wrong and cannot be justified by any means.
"We have seen this kind of incident here several years ago. Have you forgotten how Mehbooba Mufti removed the burqa of a legitimate voter inside a polling station? That act was wrong, and this act (of Kumar) is also wrong.
"If the (Bihar) chief minister did not want to hand over the order to her (Muslim woman), they could have kept her aside. However, to humiliate her like this is totally wrong," the Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said.
Kumar stirred a huge controversy after he removed the face veil of a Muslim woman at a function earlier this week.
