The Confederation of Kerala Tourism Industry has demanded that the Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi airports should be declared as strategically located airports on a par with the metro airports in the country.
Otherwise, these airports will be left out as less important airports feeding only the ‘spoke’ traffic, connecting to the ‘hub’, the confederation said in a memorandum to Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pasupati.
Confederation president E.M. Najeeb demanded intervention from the Union Minister. The three airports in the State, though strategically located and cater to the Middle East, Singapore and Maldives, had not been recognised as major airports in the draft civil aviation policy published by the Ministry.
Mr. Najeeb demanded that the Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi airports should be elevated to the grade of major airports and international flight traffic should be allowed to both the airports from all parts of the world.
Objection
The confederation objected to the clause of the draft civil aviation policy that foreign airlines should be allowed to and from the metro airports only. Coming down heavily on the hub policy, the confederation said the airports in the State had to be seen and recognised as strategically located airports in view of the tourist and expatriate traffic to various countries. In the total planning of airport networks and in framing the civil aviation policy, the Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram international airports should not be left out.
Wants Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi to declared as strategically located airports
