Air India Express reduces number of services in the Kerala-Gulf sector; ticket fares may go up
The budget airline is relied on by most Keralite expatriates.
The budget airline is relied on by most Keralite expatriates.
The budget airline is relied on by most Keralite expatriates.
Thiruvananthapuram: Air India Express will reduce the number of flights from airports in Kerala to the Gulf sector, which will adversely affect the travel plans of passengers flying to various Gulf countries as well as to Europe via the Gulf. Meanwhile, ticket fares are also likely to increase as competition in this sector decreases. However, the airline hasn’t issued any official statements about it.
Services from Thiruvananthapuram to Dubai and Abu Dhabi will be cancelled starting from October 26. The number of flights from Kerala has reportedly been reduced to increase services from Bengaluru and expand its presence at other airports. The budget airline is relied on by most Keralite expatriates. More services in the Gulf sector are likely to get cancelled in the winter schedule that will be implemented next week.
Meanwhile, representatives of Air India Express in Kerala informed us that no official statement has been issued by the airline regarding this matter. Analysts who observe airline services assume the following changes in the new schedule (the number of services in the latest schedule, and the number of current services in a week, in brackets).
• Dubai and Abu Dhabi services from Thiruvananthapuram have been cancelled (7). Muscat – 4 (7), Doha – 2 (3), Sharjah – 5 (7). The Bahrain service has also been cancelled (1).
• Kozhikode to Muscat – 3 (7), Ras Al Khaima – 4 (7), Sharjah – 6 (9), Abu Dhabi – 4 (7), Dammam – 3 (7).
• The service from Kochi to Riyadh will reportedly be cancelled (1), Bahrain – 2 (4), Abu Dhabi – 4 (7), Dubai – 6 (7), Salalah – 1 (1)
• Kannur to Dubai – 7 (10), Sharjah – 7 (12), Dubai – 7 (8), Muscat – 4 (7), Ras Al Khaima – 2 (3).