Congress MP Shashi Tharoor is “deeply concerned” over large-scale cancellations of Air India Express flights from Kerala airports in the upcoming winter schedule and has written to Air India MD and CEO Campbell Wilson to “stop treating Kerala as an afterthought”. 

“According to widely-circulated media accounts, a significant number of flights are being withdrawn from Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode and Kannur between late October and March,” Tharoor wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

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He noted that Kerala records some of the highest airport footfalls, as a large number of passengers travel to Gulf countries. “Any curtailment of services at this stage will inevitably cause severe hardship to migrant workers, students, tourists and families, while also hampering trade and tourism,” he added.

‘Stop treating Kerala as an afterthought’

Tharoor pointed out that Air India had already withdrawn business-class services on the Delhi-Thiruvananthapuram route, and said the winter flight cancellations only add “insult to injury”.

The 69-year-old went on to say, “Air India must stop treating Kerala as an afterthought: withdrawing business-class services on the longest single-sector flight in India (Delhi to Thiruvananthapuram) has already added insult to injury.”

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‘IndiGo, Akasa Air are waiting’

The Thiruvananthapuram MP didn’t hesitate to express that he would shift his loyalty to other airlines if Air India didn’t give Keralites the attention they deserve.

“If Air India continues its disregard for Kerala’s interests, IndiGo and Akasa Air are waiting in the wings, and many of us will have no compunction about switching our allegiance to those who give us the attention we deserve,” he further said, before adding, “I had publicly hailed Air India as my favourite airline. But when facts change, opinions can change too. I hope all concerned will pay due attention.”

V D Satheesan writes to Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu

Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, VD Satheesan, has also expressed concerns over the cancellations of flights by the airline.  He has written to Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, saying that the decision has caused “serious concern among the people of Kerala”.

“It is understood that several services from Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode, and Kannur to key Gulf destinations are set to be reduced or withdrawn, while additional flights are being shifted to Mangaluru, Jaipur, and Lucknow,” Satheesan wrote, before adding, “While the airline has cited economic reasons, the decision is questionable as Gulf routes from Kerala are among Air India Express’s most profitable. Curtailment of such services will cause immense hardship to lakhs of Malayalis working in the Gulf, who rely heavily on affordable and direct connectivity.”