Air Kerala, rest in peace! Amen!

TalkingTarmac hopes that its soul finds eternal joy in heaven

BY A CORRESPONDENT
February 18, 2006

Air Kerala just died in the womb. The Kerala government's ambitious plan to start a low-cost airline to fly in the Gulf sector has been shot down by the Union civil aviation ministry.

The Kerala government had planned to start the low-cost airline Air Kerala to cater to the huge Malayali population in the Gulf. Air Kerala was to be jointly owned by the Kerala state government and the Cochin International Airport Ltd.

India's aviation guidelines stipulate that a domestic airline achieve five years' flying experience before flying overseas. Currently, only two private airlines - Jet Airways and Air Sahara - are allowed to fly overseas. Here too, the lucrative Gulf routes remain shut for the private airlines, a route which is dominated by the government-owned Air India.

The Kerala government had sought a waiver of this condition, protesting that the state government is planning the airline as a non-profit venture for the public good. It had also announced plans to reserve some tickets on Air Kerala in Kerala-London route exclusively for the poorest travellers.

It has often been alleged that the Union government is clinging on to the Gulf route, since it is Air India's milk cow. Even the rates offered by Air India's low-cost subsidiary Air India Express are way beyond what the Malayali labourers in Gulf can afford, critics say. Air Kerala was seen as a boon for menial workers in the Gulf.

In desperation, the Kerala government had even offered a stake in Air Kerala to Air India, if it would help the state government launch the airline quicker.

During the much-hyped NRI jamboree Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Hyderabad last month, Kerala chief minister Oomen Chandy had made a renewed pitch for Kerala's airline dream. However, it clearly did not find favour with the Centre, which rejected the proposal.

Kerala's new minister in the Union cabinet Mr Vayalar Ravi met the Union civil aviation minister early this week to suggest that the airline be given a waiver from the rule. However, Patel told Ravi that the rules cannot be changed for Air Kerala.

It must have been a cruel irony that Ravi, who was unable to get the clearance for the NRI-helping proposal, had recently joined the Union cabinet as minister for NRI affairs.