KANNUR: Political parties and expatriate groups have intensified their protests demanding point-of-call status for the Kannur International Airport (KIAL).
Both the CPM and the Congress have accused the BJP of political discrimination in denying Kannur airport the status even six years after its inauguration.
The protests gained momentum after the Union government reiterated its stand that point-of-call status would be granted only to metro cities, disqualifying Kannur. On Monday, the CPM, led by state secretary M V Govindan, organised a protest march towards the airport.
“Around 20 foreign companies have expressed interest to start services from Kannur airport. The only step remaining is Centre’s permission. All the companies that contacted KIAL for services are running in profit,” Govindan said.
Political vendetta is behind the denial of point-of-call status to the airport, he stressed.
“The Modi government is declaring war on Kerala. The Centre is spreading propaganda that the airport is in a village. This is a form of neglect and vendetta that the Centre should not wage against any state,” he said.
Meanwhile, an expatriate group, Team Historic Flight Journey, comprising the first passengers from Kannur airport, staged a sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Tuesday morning. The group had met Union ministers, MPs, and aviation officials over the past few days and submitted memoranda to consider the airport for the key status.
The group also held discussions with MPs K Sudhakaran, John Brittas, P Santhosh Kumar, V Sivadasan, K C Venugopal, Rajmohan Unnithan, and P T Usha on the matter.
Since its inception in December 2018, Kannur airport has handled 64 lakh passengers as of November this year. The airport has witnessed significant growth during the first half of financial year 2024-25, handling over 6.65 lakh passengers and facilitating 5,560 aircraft movements.
Passenger traffic has surged, particularly on the Dubai, Sharjah, Mumbai, Doha, and Bengaluru routes, where load factors consistently exceed 85%. International passenger numbers have climbed by 25% compared to FY 22-23 and by 30% compared to the previous year, while overall passenger traffic has grown by 16% compared to FY23-24.
On the cargo front, Kannur airport has handled 2,381 tonnes of cargo up to September, with exports to Sharjah, Doha, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai dominating the volumes. Air India Express remains the primary cargo carrier, helping achieve a 10% growth in cargo movement compared to FY22-23 and a 25% increase compared to FY23-24.
As it enters its seventh year, Kannur airport remains poised to achieve even greater heights by expanding its connectivity, enhancing passenger experiences, and contributing to the socio-economic development of north Malabar. However, the instability in the global aviation market due to the lack of point-of-call status is a big hurdle in front of the airport’s future development.