NEDUMBASSERY: Domestic sector service from the Cochin International Airport is set to register a substantial growth of 35.54 per cent in the forthcoming summer schedule, which will come into force from March 25.

As per the new schedule announced here on Tuesday, the total number of domestic services (departures alone) from here will increase from the existing 166 to 225 in a week. Compared to the domestic sector the increase in the international sector will be marginal - from 140 to 145 services a week.

With this, the total number of services from Kochi in a week will increase from the existing 306 to 370 services, with an average of 53 services a day (106 services, if the inbound services were to be considered).

With the State Government promoting tourism, especially health tourism, and the projected flow of investments to the State, the airport company expects to register a growth of at least 25 per cent in aircraft and passenger movements during the summer schedule, which will be in force till October 27.

In the domestic sector most number of services will be operated in the Kochi-Mumbai and Kochi-Bangalore sectors, nine services a day each. With seven services a day, Kochi-Chennai is second in the list in terms of frequency.

Highlight

A major highlight is the substantial increase in the connectivity between Kochi and Delhi. Introduction of three daily services by Air Sahara, including a direct service, and thrice-a-week direct flight by Indian, means that there will be at least four services a day in this sector. Kochi will be connected with Thiruvananthapuram thrice a day while there will be two daily services to Hyderabad.

With the introduction of weekly flights by Kingfisher Airlines, besides the six services operated by Indian, the connectivity to Agatti is at all-time best with 16 services a week. More good news is in store for the Agatti-bound passengers as Alliance Air, the subsidiary of Indian, is planning to launch an ATR service to the archipelago in July.

Among the airlines, Jet Airways maintains its top position with 49 services a week. Air Deccan with 42 services is second in the list surpassing Kingfisher Airlines with 41 services. Air Sahara has almost doubled its services from the Kochi airport to 28 services a week compared to the number of services it operated during the start of the winter schedule.

Indian with 23 weekly services is fourth in the list followed by Paramount Airways and Go Air with 14 services each. When launched Alliance Air will also have 14 services a week.

Talking to reporters, A.C.K. Nair, Airport Director, said the airport company was making an all-out effort to secure direct services from Kochi to the U.S. and European destinations and Male. Kochi is well connected to West Asia with services to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Doha, Bahrain, Sharjah, Dammam, Riyadh, Al-Ain, Salala, Kuwait and Bander Abbas. Besides, there are daily services to Singapore and Colombo.

Public sector carriers

In terms of number of services, the public carriers Air India Express and Indian are far ahead of foreign carriers with 36 and 31 weekly services. Air-India with 13 services comes next followed by Srilankan Airlines, which tops among the foreign carriers with 11 services in a week.

Oman Air, Silk Air, Emirates Airlines, Qatar Airways and Air Arabia will operate seven services in a week. Gulf Air with five weekly services is followed by Kuwait Airways and Mahan Air with four services each. Jazeera Airways and Saudi Arabian Airlines will operate three services a week.

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