The Hindu : Unlimited ASEAN flights soon

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 31, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

Unlimited ASEAN flights soon

By Girish Menon

Thiruvananthapuram Dec. 30. The Centre has decided to offer ten ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) countries and Sri Lanka the facility to operate unlimited number of flights to Kochi, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram, setting the stage for the massive development of Kerala because of the international connectivity it offers to air passengers.

The Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, has conveyed the Centre's decision to the State Tourism Minister, K.V. Thomas. Prof. Thomas told The Hindu that the decision had been taken as part of the Prime Minister's ASEAN and Sri Lanka initiative. He said the Union Minister had informed him that India would make a formal offer to the countries concerned.

Prof. Thomas said Mr. Rudy had also informed him about the Centre's decision to allow Sri Lankan Airlines to operate three frequencies a week to Kochi . He said the Centre did not approve Lufthansa's operations to Kochi as it was not at present available as a point of call for the airlines and the German Government had not make a formal request.

The Centre's decision comes as a New Year gift and at a time when the three airports, especially Kochi, have been seeking ways to improve profitability in operations. At present, airlines, including foreign, operate several flights from these three airports to various Gulf destinations, Singapore, and the U.S. The flights to and from the ASEAN countries, according to Prof. Thomas, would give a big boost to the tourism sector in the State. As per the international convention, national carriers would also get the opportunity to operate flights in the Far East sector, sources said.

Among the three airports, the Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL), which runs the Kochi airport, would be the most benefited by the Centre's decision. Touted as the first airport in the private sector, CIAL is poised for a major expansion programme. The Chief Minister, A.K. Antony, who is also the chairman of CIAL, had announced soon after the company annual general meeting that the CIAL was working on long-term strategies to be adopted to make the airport internationally viable. He had said the CIAL would launch development works including expansion of the international terminal building, construction of additional aprons, extension of taxi track to the full length of the runway, etc. The CIAL had achieved 37 per cent growth in revenue and more than 6.5 lakh passengers had passed through the airport.

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