New budget carrier planned for Kerala

The government of Kerala has announced plans to launch a new low cost airline, Air Kerala, connecting the state to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

Kochi, Kerala, Southern India

The new airline, which will be operated under private public partnership from Cochin International Airport, will primarily serve NRI’s living in the Gulf region.

Parliamentarian Mohammed Bashir, told Times of Oman in Muscat; “During peak seasons, they have shell out huge amounts to purchase air tickets. So, the government of Kerala is moving ahead to start its own airline.”

The venture is now waiting on final approval from the central government and should be formally introduced at the Emerging Kerala investment meeting, scheduled from 12 September.

The airline was conceived five years ago, but has failed to get approval from the central government as the proposal did not meet the criteria for operating international services.

Such an airline would need a minimum fleet size of 20 aircraft and must have had five years of continuous operations in the domestic sector.

By Mark Elliott, 13 August 2012, Monday 2:40 AM