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The Chief Minister, Mr Oommen Chandy, with Capt G.R. Gopinath, Managing Director of Air Deccan, at the inaugural flight of the airline from Kochi to Bangalore and Chennai on Monday. - K. Murali Kumar

Kochi , Sept. 27

AIR DECCAN, India's first low-cost carrier, plans to provide connectivity between the three international airports in Kerala within the next three months, Capt G.R. Gopinath, Managing Director of the airline, has said.

He said that the carrier would commence operations from Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode airports by introducing two regular flights in the morning and evening. Addressing a function organised at the Cochin International Airport Ltd here to launch the airline's Kerala operations, Capt Gopinath said the company also planned to introduce a Bangalore - Kochi - Agathi flight in the next two months. At present, Indian Airlines operates daily flights (except Sunday) to Agathi in Lakshadweep Island. There were also plans to connect various Gulf countries to Kerala through low-cost airlines, he added.

The economy of a country depends on connectivity, which will create jobs and infrastructure facilities, he said. Unless aviation spreads to smaller towns, the economy will not progress, he said.

Air Deccan would operate daily flights from Bangalore and Chennai to Kochi, which is its first foray in Kerala. The connectivity to Kochi would enable tourists to venture further down in South India. Kerala needs mass tourism and this called for connectivity between airports, he added.

Speaking on the occasion, after flagging off the maiden flight to Bangalore, Kerala Chief Minister, Mr Oommen Chandy reiterated the Government's support for low-cost airline service for the overall development of the State. The Government policy, he said, is to encourage low-cost airline service for the common people, as it would save considerable time.

The Chief Minister said decks had been cleared for setting up a fourth international airport at Kannur shortly. Feasibility studies were completed and the Government had appointed a Special Officer for speedy implementation of the project. He said that the project would be based on the model of the Cochin International Airport Ltd, the country's first private airport, which has turned profitable within a short span of time.

The ground handling of Air Deccan flights was taken up by CIAL itself while all other domestic and international flights were handled by Air India, which so far enjoyed exclusive rights at the airport.

The airline has deployed an ATR 42-500 48-seater aircraft in the sector. The fares begin at Rs 500-plus taxes and go up to Rs 3,100 for the Kochi - Bangalore sector and Rs 3,475 for the Kochi-Chennai sector.

Air Deccan has till now enabled around 1.23 lakh passengers to travel at the Rs 500-plus taxes fare.

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