The Leader of Opposition, V. D. Satheesan, has called for the Union government’s urgent intervention regarding Air India Express’s decision to drastically cut services from Kerala’s airports starting in October. In a direct letter to Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu, Satheesan highlighted the profound unease this move has generated among Kerala residents, particularly the vast expatriate community living in the Gulf region.
Reports indicate that numerous flights connecting Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode, and Kannur to vital Gulf destinations are slated for reduction or complete withdrawal. Simultaneously, Air India Express plans to redirect these additional flights to airports in Mangaluru, Jaipur, and Lucknow.
Satheesan, a prominent Congress leader, challenged the airline’s justification of ‘economic reasons,’ arguing that such a decision is highly questionable given that the Gulf routes originating from Kerala are widely recognized as some of Air India Express’s most lucrative. He emphasized that these service reductions would cause significant hardship to millions of Keralites working abroad, who depend heavily on affordable, direct air travel.
He further stressed the crucial role of the Malayali diaspora as a cornerstone of India’s remittance economy. By diminishing direct flight connectivity from Kerala, passengers would face considerable inconvenience, escalating travel costs, and the added burden of longer, indirect routes through other states. Therefore, Satheesan urged the Centre to act swiftly, compelling Air India Express to reconsider these proposed cuts and ensure that Kerala’s airports maintain their rightful priority in the airline’s operational plans.