Kerala seeks Centre’s nod for extra flights for low-income Keralites from Gulf nations

By PTI

TRIVANDRUM: The Kerala authorities on Thursday sought the Centre’s nod for extra or constitution flights booked by it for journey of low-income Keralite emigrants from Gulf nations to the state through the upcoming festive season in April.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to direct the Civil Aviation Ministry to provide crucial approvals for extra or constitution flights booked by the State from the second week of April.

The Kerala CM additionally drew Modi’s consideration to the large hikes in airfares up to now two months and requested that the Central authorities “proactively” intervene and provoke negotiations with airways working within the India-Gulf sector to make sure they don’t undertake an exorbitant pricing technique throughout festivals and faculty holidays.

Vijayan, in a letter, stated that main festivals for Keralites comparable to Vishu, Easter and Ramzan have been falling within the second and third week of April and in view of the exorbitant air fares within the India-Gulf sector, the state authorities had determined to function extra or chartered flights at affordable charges for low-income emigrants in Gulf nations.

“I request you to direct the Civil Aviation Ministry to accord the necessary approvals expeditiously for the additional or charter flight operations booked by Government of Kerala from the second week of April 2023,” he stated.

The Kerala CM stated the variety of seats accessible on the market to or from a overseas sector was decided by a bilateral settlement with the Indian authorities.

“As this permitted number of seats is fully utilised by scheduled carriers currently, unless the Union government grants exemption or relaxation, they will not be able to operate any additional flights. Only by obtaining such approval from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the foreign or Indian aircraft operator can operate additional or charter flights to India from the Gulf,” he stated.

Stating that the Centre’s intervention was crucial, as exorbitant air fares from the Gulf nations to Kerala, particularly throughout peak or festive seasons, “has been a vexing problem”, he stated these charges are unaffordable to many, notably migrant staff.

“The airline operators have not responded favourably to various requests from migrant organisations and the Kerala government in the recent past to fix air fares at reasonable levels,” Vijayan stated.

As a end result, thousands and thousands of migrant staff are pressured to pay exorbitant airfares, typically to the tune of a number of months of their meagre financial savings, to journey to their properties, he added.

TRIVANDRUM: The Kerala authorities on Thursday sought the Centre’s nod for extra or constitution flights booked by it for journey of low-income Keralite emigrants from Gulf nations to the state through the upcoming festive season in April.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to direct the Civil Aviation Ministry to provide crucial approvals for extra or constitution flights booked by the State from the second week of April.

The Kerala CM additionally drew Modi’s consideration to the large hikes in airfares up to now two months and requested that the Central authorities “proactively” intervene and provoke negotiations with airways working within the India-Gulf sector to make sure they don’t undertake an exorbitant pricing technique throughout festivals and faculty holidays.googletag.cmd.push(operate() googletag.show(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); );

Vijayan, in a letter, stated that main festivals for Keralites comparable to Vishu, Easter and Ramzan have been falling within the second and third week of April and in view of the exorbitant air fares within the India-Gulf sector, the state authorities had determined to function extra or chartered flights at affordable charges for low-income emigrants in Gulf nations.

“I request you to direct the Civil Aviation Ministry to accord the necessary approvals expeditiously for the additional or charter flight operations booked by Government of Kerala from the second week of April 2023,” he stated.

The Kerala CM stated the variety of seats accessible on the market to or from a overseas sector was decided by a bilateral settlement with the Indian authorities.

“As this permitted number of seats is fully utilised by scheduled carriers currently, unless the Union government grants exemption or relaxation, they will not be able to operate any additional flights. Only by obtaining such approval from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the foreign or Indian aircraft operator can operate additional or charter flights to India from the Gulf,” he stated.

Stating that the Centre’s intervention was crucial, as exorbitant air fares from the Gulf nations to Kerala, particularly throughout peak or festive seasons, “has been a vexing problem”, he stated these charges are unaffordable to many, notably migrant staff.

“The airline operators have not responded favourably to various requests from migrant organisations and the Kerala government in the recent past to fix air fares at reasonable levels,” Vijayan stated.

As a end result, thousands and thousands of migrant staff are pressured to pay exorbitant airfares, typically to the tune of a number of months of their meagre financial savings, to journey to their properties, he added.