Shashi Tharoor MP requested the intervention of Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu to restore services withdrawn from Kerala to various overseas destinations. In a post shared on social media platform X on Monday, Mr. Tharoor said that he had also written to Air India CEO and MD Campbell Wilson, expressing his strong objection to what he described as the airline’s withdrawal of flights from Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode and Kannur airports in the State.
In the letter addressed to Mr. Naidu, he drew the attention of the Minister to the growing concern among the people of Kerala, particularly the vast Malayalee expatriate community in the Gulf, regarding the decision of Air India Express to curtail its services from Kerala airports effective October this year.
It is understood that several services from Thiruvanantapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode, and Kannur to key Gulf destinations are set to be reduced or withdrawn, while additional flights are being shifted to Mangaluru, Jaipur, and Lucknow. As per reports, the Thiruvananthapuram-Dubai and Abu Dhabi services will be stopped; Thiruvanantapuram-Muscat service was reduced from 7 to 4 per week. Sharjah service was reduced from 7 to 5 per week.
From Kozhikode airport, the Kuwait service will be stopped; Dammam service was reduced from 7 to 3 per week; the Ras Al Khaimah service was reduced from 7 to 4; and the Muscat service was reduced from 7 to 3 per week. From Kochi airport, Salalah and Riyadh services will be stopped; Bahrain service was reduced from 4 to 2 per week; Dubai service was reduced from 7 to 6. From Kannur: Bahrain, Jeddah, and Kuwait services will be completely withdrawn.
Serious concerns
Though the airline has cited economic reasons, this decision raises serious concerns, as these routes are among the most profitable for Air India Express. Curtailment of such services will cause immense hardship to lakhs of Keralites working in the Gulf, who rely heavily on affordable and direct connectivity.
Before the takeover of the airline by the Tata Group, Kerala alone had 27 services from Thiruvananthapuram to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, reflecting the strong and sustained demand for these routes.
The Malayalee diaspora has long been the backbone of India’s remittance economy, making invaluable contributions to the nation. Reducing direct flight connectivity from Kerala will not only inconvenience passengers but also force them to depend on alternative routes through other States, leading to higher costs, longer travel times, and unnecessary difficulties for families. In view of these concerns, the Minister should urgently intervene to direct the airline to desist from curtailing services to and from Kerala, the MP said.
Published – September 30, 2025 07:39 pm IST
