| |||||||
Founded | February 2006 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hubs | Cochin International Airport | ||||||
Parent company | Cochin International Airport | ||||||
Headquarters | Kochi |
Air Kerala is a proposed airline project, promoted by the Government of Kerala, registered as a subsidiary of the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL). [1] In March 2015, the board of directors of the airline decided to defer the start of commercial operations until a clear picture of relevant government rules emerged. [2]
The airline had initially planned to commence operations in April 2013, [3] however, the Indian government's stipulation, that an Indian airline seeking to operate international air services should first have a fleet of at least 20 aircraft and a five-year experience in operating domestic services, had put the project on the backburner. [4]
Air Kerala was to be India's first airline with a State government as one of the primary stakeholders. The State government, CIAL and other public sector companies were together to hold 26% of the shares of the company, while the remaining 74% were to be issued to individuals and private groups. [5]
In July 2024, UAE-based businessman Afi Ahmed announced plans to use the Air Kerala domain name, which he owns, to market scheduled commuter air transport services in Kerala. [6] Afi Ahmed is the Founder and Managing Director of Smart Travel LLC, Holiday Makers, Combodeals.com, and Smartzett Academy.[ citation needed ]
The project was first proposed in 2005 during the Chief Ministership of Oommen Chandy and Air Kerala International Services was registered as a fully owned subsidiary of Cochin International Airport in February 2006. However the proposal went to cold storage, after the ruling UDF government stepped down in 2006. On returning to power in 2011, the UDF government decided to revive the project. The hardship faced by the Non-resident Keralites, due to high airfares and frequent cancellation of flights between Kerala and the Gulf countries, led to the revival of the Air Kerala proposal. The project has evoked good interest from the various Malayali businessmen and Non-resident Keralites in the Middle East. [7]
The primary objective of the airline was to eventually operate international flights to the Middle East, where around 2.5 million Keralites are employed. The airline would follow the model of Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), which is India's first PPP airport. The architect of CIAL's success and its present MD, V J Kurian IAS, was expected to head the proposed Air Kerala.
Air Kerala planned to raise ₹ 200 crore through equity as initial capital. While 26% of shares were to be held by the state government, CIAL and public sector undertakings, the remaining 74% would be held by shareholders. The state government and CIAL would fund ₹ 50 crore each while ₹ 100 crore would be mobilized from the public as shares. Each share was valued at ₹ 10,000 and it was expected that at least 200,000 Keralites would invest in the project. Consultancy firm Ernst & Young, that conducted a study in 2006, is now preparing the Detailed Project Report for the government. [8]
The proposal of starting the airline was first floated in 2006. But the central government rejected the proposal, as it did not meet the criteria for operating international services. The Government of Kerala sought speedy approval from the MoCA for launching Air Kerala. The government also sought exemptions on the MoCA regulatory norms, that require airline companies at least five years experience in domestic flight operations and a minimum fleet size of 20 aircraft, to start international flight services. [9] The state government cited the exemption given by the central government to Air India when it launched its subsidiary, Air India Express. [8]
Air Kerala was expected to submit formal application in November 2012 before the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (India) (DGCA) for getting the no objection certificate for services, as stated by the Minister for Fisheries, Port and Excise, Shri. K. Babu, who is also a member of the director board of Air Kerala. [10]
In February 2014, former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy indicated that the central government's requirements for initiating international airline operations had stalled the project's progress. He affirmed his administration's commitment to pursuing the initiative if these prerequisites were relaxed. Subsequently, in December 2014, the Board of Directors opted to commence domestic operations instead. Negotiations commenced to lease a 15-seater aircraft for service between the state's three airports. However, the plan shifted towards acquiring an aircraft with a five-hour non-stop flight capability. This aimed to expedite the accumulation of the minimum domestic flying credits mandated. [11] [4] [2]
In March 2015, the airline's board of directors opted to postpone the launch of commercial operations pending clarification regarding the proposed amendments to the '5/20' rule. [2] As of 2017, the rule has been revised to the 0/20 format. As per the new guidelines, any airline with 20 aircraft or that keeps aside 20 percent of their fleet exclusively for domestic sectors can fly abroad. The five-year domestic flying experience has been revoked. [12] [9]
In April 2023, UAE-based Keralite businessman Afi Ahmed acquired the domain name airkerala.com and expressed his willingness to collaborate with the government on the Air Kerala project. Mr. Ahmed offered to donate the domain and lend his full support if the government decides to revive the initiative. [13]
In July 2024, Afi Ahmed's private company, Zettfly Aviation, announced that they had received a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Ministry of Civil Aviation to operate scheduled commuter air transport services for three years. Zettfly plans to use Ahmed's Air Kerala domain name to market their services. It would be the first regional airline to be based in Kerala. [14] Zettfly is working to obtain an Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) and will start operations with three ATR 72-600 aircraft [15] Being set up as an "ultra low-cost airline", Ahmed plans to start out with three ATR 72-600 aircraft and grow its fleet to 20 for international expansion.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport is an international airport serving Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). It is the second busiest airport in India in terms of total and international passenger traffic after Delhi, and was the ninth busiest airport in Asia and 25th busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic in fiscal year 2023–24.
Chennai International Airport is an international airport serving the city of Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, India. It is located in Tirusulam in Chengalpattu district, around 21 km (13 mi) southwest of the city centre. The first air service was operated in 1915 and the airport was commissioned in 1930. The airport serves as the southern regional headquarters of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for South India comprising the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and the union territories of Lakshadweep, and Puducherry.
Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, is an international airport that serves Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, India. Established in 1932, it is the first airport in the state of Kerala and the fifth international airport of India, officially declared in 1991. It is the operating base of Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo and SpiceJet. The airport, spread over an area of 800 acres (320 ha), the airport is approximately 3.7 km (2.3 mi) due west from the city centre and the Padmanabhaswamy Temple, 16 km (9.9 mi) from Kovalam beach, 13 km (8.1 mi) from Technopark and 21 km (13 mi) from the under-construction Vizhinjam International Seaport. It shares a visible proximity to Shankumugham Beach making it the nearest airport to the Arabian Sea in India, just about 0.6 miles away from the sea.
Jet Airways (India) Limited, trading as Jet Airways, was an Indian airline based in Delhi, with a training and developmental centre in Mumbai. Incorporated in April 1992 as a limited liability company, the airline began operations as an air taxi operator in 1993. It began full-fledged operations in 1995 with international flights added in 2004. The airline went public in 2005 and in 2007, when it acquired Air Sahara. The airline is expected to re-commence its flight operations by the end of 2024, making it the first Indian airline to be revived after ceasing operations.
Cochin International Airport is an international airport serving the city of Kochi, Kerala, in southwestern India. It is located at Nedumbassery, about 25 km (16 mi) northeast of the city center. The airport is the first of its kind to be developed under a public-private partnership (PPP) model in India. This project was funded by nearly 10,000 non-resident Indians from 32 countries. It is the busiest and largest airport in the state of Kerala and the fourth busiest airport in India. As of 2024, the airport caters to more than 63% of the total air passenger traffic in Kerala. It is the third-busiest airport in India in terms of international traffic, and the eighth-busiest overall.
In 1990-91 the entry of private airlines began, after the de-regulation of the Indian Civil Aviation sector. Private airlines were given permission to operate charter and non-scheduled services under the ‘Air Taxi’ Scheme. East West Airlines, head-quartered in Trivandrum was the first national level private airline in India to operate after almost 37 years.
HAL Airport is an airport that serves Bangalore, the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Located about 12 km east of the city centre, it has one runway and operates 24/7. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), a state-owned defence company, owns the airfield and runs a testing facility in conjunction with the Indian Armed Forces. The airport also caters to non-scheduled civilian traffic, including general, business and VIP aviation. For over 60 years, it received all domestic and international flights to the city; the Airports Authority of India shut down its civil enclave, officially known as "Bangalore International Airport", upon the opening of the Kempegowda International Airport in Devanahalli in 2008.
'Kozhikode International Airport, also known as Calicut International Airport, is an international airport serving the city of Kozhikode in the state of Kerala, India. It is located at Karipur near Kondotty of the South Malabar region. It serves the Malabar region, consisting of kozhikode, Malappuram, Wayanad and Palakkad. It is situated 28 km (17 mi) away from Kozhikode. The airport opened on 13 April 1988, and serves as an operating base for Air India Express]. It is tied with Hyderabad in terms of international traffic. It received the international airport status on 2 February 2006. It is one of the few airports in the country with a tabletop runway.
Go First, founded as GoAir, was an Indian low-cost airline based in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It is owned by the Indian business conglomerate, Wadia Group. It commenced operations on 4 November 2005 and operated a fleet of Airbus A320 aircraft in an all economy configuration.
Begumpet Airport is an airport that serves Hyderabad in Telangana, India. It is located in Begumpet and caters to general and military aviation. The airport is home to the Begumpet Air Force Station of the Indian Air Force. Begumpet was built by the Princely State of Hyderabad in the 1930s and served as the city's commercial airport for several decades. It eventually became overcrowded, and there was little room for expansion. Therefore, a new airport was erected in Shamshabad. Upon the opening of Rajiv Gandhi International Airport on 23 March 2008, Begumpet ceased all commercial operations.
Deccan Charters is an aviation company based in Bengaluru, India that operates helicopter and fixed-wing charter services. Its main base is HAL Bangalore International Airport. Deccan Technical Services, the maintenance unit of Deccan Charters, maintains helicopters on behalf of 50 Indian corporates such as Reliance Industries and Essar Group. Their Mumbai centre is the authorised customer service centre to support Sikorsky S-76 helicopters. In March 2017, the firm bagged 21 regional air routes under the Indian Government's regional connectivity scheme, UDAN.
Dabolim Airport is an international airport serving Panaji, the capital of the state of Goa, India. It is operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) as a civil enclave in an Indian Navy naval airbase named INS Hansa. The airport is located in Dabolim, in South Goa district, 4 km (2.5 mi) from the nearest city of Vasco da Gama, 23 km (14 mi) from Margao, and about 30 km (19 mi) from the state capital, Panaji.
Kempegowda International Airport is an international airport serving Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka, India. Spread over 4,000 acres (1,600 ha), it is located about 35 kilometres (22 mi) north of the city near the suburb of Devanahalli. It is owned and operated by Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL), a public–private consortium. The airport opened in May 2008 as an alternative to increased congestion at HAL Airport, the original primary commercial airport serving the city. It is named after Kempe Gowda I, the founder of Bangalore. Kempegowda International Airport became Karnataka's first fully solar powered airport, developed by CleanMax Solar.
Rajiv Gandhi International Airport is an international airport that serves Hyderabad, the capital of the Indian state of Telangana. It is located in Shamshabad, about 24 kilometres (15 mi) south of Hyderabad and it was opened on 23 March 2008 to replace Begumpet Airport, which was the sole civilian airport serving Hyderabad. It is named after Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India. Built over an area of 5,500 acres (2,200 ha), it is the largest airport of India by area. It is owned and operated by GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL), a public–private consortium. The airport was the first airport in India to launch domestic e-boarding facility in December 2015 and international e-boarding facility in October 2020. It has also ranked in AirHelp's list of top 10 airports in the world. The fourth busiest airport in India by passengers traffic, it handled over 25 million passengers and around 150,000 tonnes of cargo between April 2023 and March 2024.
Kannur International Airport is an international airport serving the city of Kannur and the North Malabar region of Kerala, Kodagu district of Karnataka and Mahé district of Puducherry in India. It is located 28 km (17 mi) east of Kannur, and 24 km (15 mi) east of Thalassery, near the municipality of Mattannur in Thalassery taluka of Kannur district. It is owned and operated by Kannur International Airport Limited (KIAL), a public–private consortium. The airport opened for commercial operations on 9 December 2018.
Kerala Seaplane was a commercial seaplane service promoted by Kerala Tourism Infrastructure Limited in the Indian state of Kerala. It was launched on 2 June 2013 at Kollam with the inaugural flight being operated by Kairali Aviation. However, commercial operations could not start due to opposition from the local fishing community. The Kerala Government was keen on restarting regular operations of the project in 2014. The service was to be the first such service in mainland India, and the second in India after Jal Hans, which operates seaplanes in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Work on the Kerala seaplane project began at the end of July, 2012 and has been praised for being one of the fastest projects to be completed in Kerala.
Air Costa was an Indian regional airline headquartered in Vijayawada and based out of Chennai International Airport. It was owned by Indian business company LEPL Group. The airline commenced operations as a regional airline in October 2013 using two Embraer E-170 aircraft, with the first flight taking off from Chennai on 16 October 2013. The airline received a permit for pan-India operations in October 2016. The airline focused on connectivity between tier II and tier III cities in the country, and invested ₹600 crore (US$72 million) as of 2015. Air Costa operated 32 daily flights to nine destinations from its focus cities Chennai and Vijayawada as of 2015. The airline had a maintenance center in Chennai. On 28 February 2017, it suspended operations until further notice.
Civil aviation in India, the world's third-largest civil aviation market as of 2020, traces its origin back to 1911, when the first commercial civil aviation flight took off from a polo ground in Allahabad carrying mail across the Yamuna river to Naini.
Zexus Air Services, doing business as Zooom Air, is an Indian low-cost regional airline headquartered in Gurugram, Haryana, India. It operates from its base at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, with a fleet of 5 aircraft.
Rajiv Gandhi Academy for Aviation Technology (RAGAAT) is a state-owned pilot training institute run by the Government of Kerala, India. It is situated at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. Originally founded as Kerala Flying Club, a private flying club in 1959 by G. V. Raja, it was bought by the state government in 1981. In 2006, the institute was approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) as a Flying Training Organisation (FTO). As of 2022, RAGAAT is the only pilot training institute in Kerala and one among the 34 FTOs in India. The institute has both single and twin-engine aircraft.