THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Putting an end to the crisis caused by a huge drop in services from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, airline operators have come forward to operate 23 domestic services from here. A total of 39 new domestic services will be operated from the state. The decision comes in the wake of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan urging airline companies to operate more services from the state.
In a recent meeting with airline CEOs, the Chief Minister had expressed concerns over the dip in services from the state capital and had urged the airlines to respond positively to the state government’s cut on Air Turbine Fuel (ATF) tax. Following the CM’s request, the airlines have come out with a positive response promising to operate 39 domestic services from three different airports—Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kannur—in the state.
Of the total, 23 services will be operated from Thiruvananthapuram alone. The number of services operated by different airlines are as follows - Air India (1), Spice Jet (8), Air Asia (7), Vistara (1) and Go Air (22). Indigo has also expressed willingness to operate three services from here, but it will be subject to the decision on ATF tax. There will be total 22 flights operating these services.
According to officials, the Indigo services will be from Thiruvananthapuram to Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Go Air will operate services from Thiruvananthapuram to Chennai, Kannur, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and back, Kannur to Delhi and back, services to Goa in addition to Kochi-Delhi service. Similarly, Air Asia will operate services on Delhi-Kochi, Bengaluru-Kochi, Chennai-Kochi and Hyderabad-Kochi sectors in addition to services from Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Vistara will operate a service from Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi. Air India will operate a service from Kannur, said officials.