Kannur airport's international services to go up, more airline companies to start operations, reveals MD: Details

From handling its highest annual footfall ever to winning prestigious awards, Kerala's Kannur International Airport (KIAL) has been embracing an important role in the state's aviation landscape, despite various challenges. C Dineshkumar, the Managing Director of KIAL, discusses the airport's future development plans in an exclusive interview with us. On February 7, 2023, Dineshkumar was appointed MD of KIAL. Although his tenure ended on February 6 this year, the government had decided to extend it for two more years. Here's what he has to say about KIAL's new international and domestic services, its history, challenges and more.

Domestic service
Two domestic airlines will soon begin services from Kannur, says the MD. Additionally, the number of international services will increase when the summer schedule is released. “Kannur airport is thriving by overcoming the challenges. Although it was inaugurated in 2018, the COVID-19 outbreak adversely affected its operations for almost three years. Certain factors, including the Ahmedabad plane crash and the chaos in the Middle East, had caused a crisis here. Despite all these, more than 15.2 lakh passengers have travelled through Kannur airport to various destinations. This is indeed a great achievement," he says.

The first flight from the Kannur International Airport took off on December 9, 2018. The airport created history by handling more than a million passengers in the first ten months. Currently, there are domestic flights from Kannur to Delhi, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram. Meanwhile, the services to Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru are the busiest. One of the major drawbacks of this airport is a shortage of services, even when passenger volumes are high. The airport authorities are in discussions with airlines such as SpiceJet, Fly 91, and Star Air to operate services to Kannur. Fly 91 is expected to start a Goa – Agathi service from here. Additionally, Pune–Ahmedabad and Bhubaneswar–Kolkata connection flights will also begin from Kannur soon.

International services
“Out of the 15.2 lakh passengers who used this airport last year, 10.51 lakh passengers had travelled internationally. Compared to 2024, international passenger traffic increased by 15 per cent. However, we still haven’t received the point of call (a designated airport where a foreign airline can operate to or from), which is quite challenging. It is the central government that should decide on the point of call. If we get that, then we can expect a huge increase in international connectivity,” the MD noted.

Dineshkumar said that eight foreign airlines have expressed interest in Kannur. Besides, discussions are underway to operate direct services to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. In 2025, the Kannur International Airport bagged 14th place in the number of international passengers. 24 per cent of Kerala's immigrant population hails from northern districts such as Kasargod, Kannur, Wayanad, and Kozhikode. The MD expressed hope that KIAL would soon become profitable if adequate air services were established for passengers from these districts.

London, Jaipur, Srinagar
The airport authorities are working to increase the number of connecting flights following the success of connection services to London Heathrow. Air India Express and IndiGo currently operate connection flights from Kannur to London. Single tickets for London could be purchased. Besides, passengers need not worry about transferring their baggage. Delhi–Jaipur and Delhi–Srinagar connection flights are popular.

Tourism, pilgrimage
“The airport plays a key role in luring travellers to explore and enjoy the unique cultural heritage and festivals of Kannur. Additionally, Kannur is the nearest airport to popular tourist destinations such as Coorg and Wayanad. Leisure trips and flights have become increasingly popular among the elderly and Kudumbasree workers. In 2026, the number of passengers travelling via Kannur, which is a Hajj embarkation point, will cross 10,000. Meanwhile, more tourists and pilgrims from outside the state have been showing interest in visiting the iconic Kottiyoor and Parassinikadavu temples in Kannur, which is also a positive factor for the airport,” said Dineshkumar.

Maintenance hub
MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) services, a first in Kerala, will be launched at Kannur International Airport within a few months. The discussions with an international company regarding this are in their final phase. Interestingly, KIAL owns the largest land area among airports in Kerala. Having an MRO facility would be a significant milestone in KIAL's development.

“It was an amazing achievement when the Kannur International Airport was chosen as the best airport in the under-2 MPPA category in the Asia – Pacific region,” says the MD.

Solar powered
“We require eight-megawatt energy. Our current project can produce up to 4 megawatts. The panels are installed on one side of the parking area and the space between the parking and the terminal building. The electricity bill at the airport is Rs 3 lakh per day. We will be able to reduce that by at least 40 per cent when the solar project gets fully functioning,” says C Dineshkumar.