Kerala-Gulf airfare may crash

Sharjah-based Al Arabia airline is willing to operate flights between Kerala and Gulf destinations at half the present fare.

Sharjah-based Al Arabia airline is willing to operate flights between Kerala and Gulf destinations at half the present fare, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said Kochi on Saturday.

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"This issue would be taken up with the prime minister and the civil aviation minister when I am in Delhi later this month," he said after discussions with Abdel Ali, chief executive of Al Arabia.

Ali has sought concessions like reduced landing charges while operating economical flights, Chandy said.

Once the central government clears the proposal, Air Arabia will initially fly between Sharjah and Kochi and later include other Gulf destinations.

However, KV Muraleedharan, president of the Kerala Association of Travel Agents, expressed doubts on several aspects of passenger comfort in budget airlines.

"The quality of food, passenger safety and comfort would be the minimum in these sort of airlines. We will wait and see if it becomes a reality," Muraleedharan said.

Reports indicate that once Air Arabia becomes operational, the return fare between Sharjah and Kochi would be under Rs.12,000. This is the current one-way fare.