Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor has called for immediate action from Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu to reinstate several Air India Express services that have been controversially pulled from Kerala’s airports. Taking to social media platform X on Monday, Tharoor revealed he had also sent a strongly worded letter to Air India CEO and MD Campbell Wilson, vehemently opposing the airline’s decision to withdraw flights from Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode, and Kannur airports.
In his communication to Minister Naidu, Tharoor emphasized the escalating worries among Kerala’s residents, particularly the extensive Malayalee community living in the Gulf region. These concerns stem from Air India Express’s impending reduction of services from Kerala airports, slated to take effect in October this year.
Reports indicate that numerous flights connecting Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode, and Kannur to vital Gulf destinations are scheduled for either significant reduction or complete cancellation. Concurrently, an increased number of flights are reportedly being redirected to airports in Mangaluru, Jaipur, and Lucknow. Specifically, the Thiruvananthapuram-Dubai and Thiruvananthapuram-Abu Dhabi routes are to be halted entirely, while the Thiruvananthapuram-Muscat service will drop from seven to four flights weekly, and the Sharjah service from seven to five flights weekly.
Further cuts include the complete cessation of Kozhikode-Kuwait flights. The Kozhikode-Dammam service will be reduced from seven to three times a week, Ras Al Khaimah from seven to four, and Muscat from seven to three. From Kochi airport, both Salalah and Riyadh services face complete withdrawal, with Bahrain flights cut from four to two per week and Dubai services from seven to six. Meanwhile, Kannur airport will see the complete suspension of its Bahrain, Jeddah, and Kuwait services.
Mounting Concerns Over Profitability and Diaspora Hardship
Despite the airline citing economic factors, this move has sparked widespread apprehension, especially given that many of these routes are considered highly profitable for Air India Express. Such service curtailments are expected to inflict immense hardship upon hundreds of thousands of Keralites employed in the Gulf, who depend heavily on affordable and direct flight options.
Before the Tata Group’s acquisition, Thiruvananthapuram alone boasted 27 services to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, underscoring the consistent and robust demand for these specific routes.
The Malayalee diaspora plays a crucial role in India’s economy through remittances, contributing significantly to the nation’s financial strength. A reduction in direct flight connectivity from Kerala will not only create inconvenience for travelers but also compel them to seek alternative routes via other Indian states. This will invariably lead to increased costs, longer travel times, and unnecessary stress for families. Given these pressing issues, Tharoor urged the Minister to intervene swiftly and instruct Air India Express to reverse its decision to cut services to and from Kerala.