Harish Kutty to head Air Kerala; airline to take off early next year

Air Kerala, the low-cost airliner expected to take off next year and will mainly connect Kerala to the Gulf countries in five years, has appointed veteran aviation executive Harish Kutty as the CEO, Gulf News has reported. 

Mr Kutty comes with varied experience in the aviation industry spanning 35 years. He started his career with British Airways and later worked for half a dozen airliners, including SpiceJet, in senior positions. The startup carrier Air Kerala is operated by the Dubai-based company Zett Fly Aviation Private Limited owned by Kerala entrepreneurs in the UAE. Afi Ahmed,  owner of Smart Travels, a travel operator based in the UAE, is the chairman of Zett Fly Aviation.

Centre's approval for Air Kerala

The company received a no-objection certificate (NOC) from India's Civil Aviation Ministry last month. The new airline, which the company describes as `India's first ultra-low-cost carrier,' will need to secure three aircraft and a funding of between Rs.100 crore to Rs 250 crore. Afi Ahmed told Gulf News that Air Kerala would use ATR 72-600 aircraft.

Aerotime has reported that Kerala Air plans to launch in the first quarter of next year. Initially, it will operate flights within India connecting small cities to major airports with a fleet of three ATR-72 turboprop aircraft. Eventually, it will fly low-cost flights between Kerala and the UAE, where large Kerala expat communities reside. 

Seasonal hikes in airfares

Afi Ahmed has noted that airfares between the Middle East and Kerala rise severalfold during periods of festivals and school holidays. This offered an opportunity for new entrants to this market. Of the more than 20 lakh Keralaites living in the Gulf, around 10 lakhs are in the UAE.

To be able to fly to the Gulf, Air Kerala will need to comply with tough Civil Aviation Ministry regulations. for operating international flights, an airliner should have been in business for a minimum of five years in India and operate a fleet of at least 20 aircraft. 

The Kerala Government has long toyed with the idea of launching an airline. Air Kerala’s founders are reportedly keen to work with the local and regional authorities in Kerala under a public-private partnership agreement.