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Air India Express budget flights begin

     Thiruvananthapuram/Kochi (Kerala): Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel on Friday said that Air India, the national carrier, will increase the number of budget flights to various destinations in the Gulf. Talking to newspersons at Thiruvananthapuram after the inauguration of Air India's new budget airline, Air India Express, at a colourful launch party at the international airport here, Patel said that the present two flights from Kerala -- Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi --would soon be enhanced to 40 flights a week from five Indian cities -- Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Calicut, Delhi and Mumbai.

     These flights, he said, would go to to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates and Muscat and Salalah in Oman. "In the beginning we have two flights from Kerala and over a period of time this airline will truly show India's national character. This airline will be based in various cities. It will be coming from Amritsar this year, in the next month itself. It is going to be Delhi-Amritsar-Birmingham and Toronto," Patel said. "Increasing connectivity is the key to a country's development, especially for a country like India, which is the size of a continent and has a billion plus population," Patel added.

     The basic fare of the Air-India Express from Trivandrum to Abu Dhabi is Rs.3,250 (74 dollars) and from Mumbai to Dubai, it is Rs.2,750 (62 dollars) per ticket. With about 25 percent lower fares than other international carriers, Air India Express aims to boost its share of the key Gulf and South East Asian markets.

      In Kochi, the first Air India Express flight was inaugurated by K.M.Mani, Kerala's Minister for Revenue and Law. Air India Express flight IX 421 took off for Abu Dhabi with 132 passengers on Friday. In all, there will be 12 flights from Kochi, daily to Dubai, one exclusive flight to Abu Dhabi and four flights to both Abu Dhabi and Muscat. The new flights are likely to be of immense benefit to Keralites, a huge section of whom are settled and working in the Middle East. The low-cost subsidiary has fares that are 20 percent to 40 percent cheaper than existing offers on other airlines. Air India Express will compete with Royal Airways Ltd., among the first privately-held firms to enter the aviation sector in India, local discount pioneer Air Deccan and Kingfisher Airlines, backed by the country's largest brewer, the UB Group. But with the Indian air travel market expected to grow at about 25-30 percent over the next five years as incomes rise, the airline is confident there is room for more players.

     Investor and consumer interest is strong in Asia's fourth-largest economy, where the air travel market has remained small due to steep fares inflated by high fuel taxes and levies. But stiff competition triggered a price war that has expanded the air travel market. The government's decision to raise the foreign investment cap in aviation to 49 percent from 40 percent last year, and promises to improve and privatise airports have also helped. Shares in Royal have risen nearly 60 percent this year. The design of the aircraft is also striking and reflects India's rich heritage. The red sash with golden streaks on the aircraft's fuselage is aimed at promoting India as a vibrant country. Its flows communicates smoothness. The sash merges gracefully with the coloured tail of the aircraft, giving it the appearance of a large seamless design. While one of the aircraft has popular Indian festivals as its theme and depicts the caparisoned elephant from Kerala on one side and a resplendent camel from the Pushkar Mela of Rajasthan on the other, the second aircraft has typical Indian motifs, a beautiful kite and a colourful rangoli on either side of the aircraft's tail. The third aircraft has Indian music as its theme with the tail sporting a tabla on one side and a sitar on the other.

      Friday's inaugural flights fulfil a long-pending demand of Keralites working in the Gulf countries. Governor R L Bhatia flagged off the maiden flight from Thiruvananthapuram in presence of Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Praful Patel at a colourful function at the International Airport in Thiruvananthapuram. A fully-owned subsidiary of Air India, Air India Express plans to operate 31 flights from three airports in Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi (Nedumbassery) and Kozhikode More Air India Express flights are scheduled to take off later in the day from the Kozhikode and Nedumbassery airports in Kerala and also from Delhi and Mumbai to various Gulf destinations. In Dubai, Mr.Chandy flagged off the Air India Express for Mumbai at 11 25 a.m. Air India Chairman and Managing Director V Thulasidas described Friday's event as a very proud day for the airline. "This is a proud day for us at Air India as we launch our new baby, which is the first international budget airline from India," Thulasidas added. Chandy described the launch of the budget airline as a "memorable day for Kerala", adding that it had met a long-pending demand of lakhs of Keralites working in the Gulf countries.
- April 29, 2005

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