A high-level meeting convened by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and attended by the representatives of the Air India Express (AIE) here on Monday decided to reinstate most of the withdrawn flights from the State to popular international routes. At the meeting, AIE officials said that the majority of the withdrawn services would be reinstated in the winter schedule itself.
The meeting was convened at the Chief Minister’s chamber in the Assembly against the backdrop of the cut in flight services by the AIE in the winter schedule from October-end to March 2026. There is a shortage of 42 flights per week at Kannur International Airport alone. The number of flights from Kozhikode and Kochi has also been reduced, while many of the flights withdrawn from Kerala are being diverted to other airports, many of which are privately owned.
“Cutting down services at a time when the demand is highest is unjustifiable. The State, which has more than 2.5 million expatriates in the Gulf alone, is greatly affected by reductions in service,” said the Chief Minister. He said the cancelled flights from Kannur, Kozhikode and Kochi should be restored and that AIE, as a national airline with roots in Kerala, should not discriminate against the State. The Chief Minister also suggested a consultation mechanism with the State government so that the matters affecting millions of expats are not taken unilaterally.
New services
Air India officials said that the number of schedules was changed considering the high demand in north Indian States during the winter. By 2026, the number of international services to Kerala will be increased to 231, and the number of domestic services, to 245. This is expected to make up for the shortage caused during the winter. New services will be started to Fujairah, Medina, Mali, Singapore, London, and Bangkok. An Australia-Japan service via Bengaluru or Singapore will also be considered. Additional flights will be pressed in the Gulf region during seasons like Onam, Christmas and New Year. In addition, a business class flight will be considered between Thiruvananthapuram and Delhi, airline officials said.
Additional Chief Secretary K.R. Jyothilal has been tasked with resolving the issues related to Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur airports with the airport authorities. A discussion with the Kannur airport authorities is scheduled to take place in Kochi on Tuesday. The issues related to the Thiruvananthapuram airport will be brought to the attention of the airport management.
Published – October 06, 2025 08:41 pm IST
