KOCHI: ‘airkerala’, the first airline to be based in Kerala, is gearing up to commence its flight operations in June. The airline’s corporate office was inaugurated in Aluva on Tuesday.
“The first airkerala flight is expected to take off from Kochi in June. We aim to be a budget-friendly airline, connecting smaller cities in south and central India with metro cities,” said Afi Ahmed, chairman of airkerala.
Industries Minister P Rajeeve unveiled the airline’s logo and inaugurated the new three-storey corporate office at Riverway Plaza, situated opposite the Aluva Metro Station. “Kochi airport is the first greenfield airport established under the Public-Private Partnership model, becoming a point of pride for the country. ‘airkerala’, however, is entirely a private equity venture. The state has a large expatriate population, and high ticket prices often force them to delay their travels during festivals and holidays,” said Rajeeve.
‘airkerala’ will operate 72-seater economy-class ATR aircraft. Initially, the airline plans to lease five aircraft from an Irish company, with plans to purchase its own fleet in the future. CEO Harish Moideen Kutty said, “We aim to start operations in the first or second week of June. However, we need to secure additional approvals, such as the Air Operator Certificate (AOC), before finalising our flight routes.”
The company is currently operating from a three-storey building and has nearly 200 employees, with a goal of creating 750 job opportunities by the end of the year. “Our goal is to serve passengers in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities in South India, facilitating their travel to metro cities and back. Our first aircraft is expected to arrive by the first week of May,” Moideen said. Eventually, airkerala aims to expand its services to the Gulf region. “To begin international operations, we need a minimum of 20 aircraft. Once we reach that milestone, we will start flying to Gulf destinations,” Moideen added.
‘airkerala’ is primarily operated by a team of Dubai-based Malayali entrepreneurs, including Afi Ahmed, who is also the chairman of the parent company Zett Fly Aviation, vice-chairman Ayub Kallada, and CEO Harish Kutty.
Meanwhile, Alhind Air, promoted by the Kozhikode-based Alhind Group, have also received the operational permit from the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and awaiting the final nod, the AOC from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, to start operating commercial flight services.