The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has demanded that the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation reverse its stance that foreign airlines cannot operate to the Kannur airport.
District secretary M.V. Jayarajan said the Centre’s decision not to allow foreign airlines to operate to the Kannur airport was objectionable and would dash the development dreams of north Malabar.
The Centre had clarified its stance when John Brittas, MP, raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha recently.
Mr. Jayarajan said foreign airlines should be allowed to operate to Kannur. Ever since the airport started operations, the State government and Kannur International Airport Limited had been demanding permission for operation of foreign airlines.
During the inauguration of the airport, the Union Ministry had promised that permission would be given after three years. The reason for denial for Kannur was that the State’s airports had ‘point of call’ status for serving foreign airlines.
“I do not understand the logic of granting the point of call elsewhere as a justification for disallowing Kannur. Ignoring Kannur, which has the status of an international airport, can only be seen as neglect by the Central government,” Mr. Jayarajan said.
He said apart from serving Kannur, Kasaragod, Wayanad and Kozhikode districts, it also catered to passengers from the neighbouring States of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. At present only three domestic airlines operated to the airport and it was impossible to travel to many foreign countries. In order to increase the revenue of the airport and become profitable, more flight services were necessary, Mr. Jayarajan added.
