KOCHI: Another direct flight between Kochi and London is in the works. If all goes well, Flypop, a low-cost British airline, will launch operations on the route soon. Talks are on between the airline and Kochi airport.
“The commercial terms offered by Kochi airport, backed by an inspired government, make the business case very compelling to start low-cost nonstop flights to the London Stansted airport. The flexibility Kochi offers is a valuable lesson for all local authorities on the benefits of creating commercially attractive terms that appeal to big-spending NRIs to boost local economies in post-Covid times,” said Flypop CEO Nino (Navdip) Singh Judge. Earlier, there were not many flights between the two destinations.
“Fast forward to a decade and now, new air service agreement between the UK and India allows a certain number of flights per week to Indian cities. India has also invested heavily in upgrading many regional airports to international standards,” Nino said. Besides Kochi, Flypop is also considering cities like Kolkata, Amritsar, Goa and Hyderabad for its low-cost, direct services from UK and back.
“Discussions are on with Kochi airport officials to sign the agreement for starting our passenger flights by this summer. Once this happens, we will publish the first destination in the coming months,” said a Flypop official. The Kochi airport spokesperson confirmed that the airline had approached the airport. “Preliminary discussions were held a year ago and talks are on. Nothing has been finalised,” he said.