Wed Jan 15 15:18:10 UTC 2025: ## Kerala’s Air Kerala to Take Flight from Kochi in June

**KOCHI, January 15, 2025** – Kerala’s first airline, Air Kerala, officially designated Kochi International Airport as its operational hub on Wednesday. The budget airline, currently operating with two dry-leased aircraft, plans to commence flights from Kochi by early June, focusing initially on connecting Tier II and III cities in South and Central India. Chief Operating Officer Harish Moideen Kutty announced the airline aims to expand internationally by 2027, anticipating a fleet of 20 aircraft by then.

The airline, initially envisioned as a government-private partnership, evolved into a privately-owned venture prioritizing affordability. Its launch coincides with a record-breaking year for Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), which handled over 10 million passengers in 2023-24, an 18% increase year-on-year and representing 63.5% of Kerala’s air passenger traffic. Air Kerala plans to capitalize on the robust 16% year-on-year growth in India’s domestic air travel market. Both CIAL and the Kerala government have pledged their full support to the new airline.

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