UAE's top air carriers express keen interest in new airport in Kerala

Dubai: A new airport in Kerala is drawing the interest of local air carriers, as heavy demand on existing routes has led them to schedule additional frequencies.
The Kerala government is in the process of acquiring 1,200 acres of land for the upcoming new airport at Kannur, located in the uppermost portion of the state north of Calicut.
Construction of the airport will take roughly three months once the land has been acquired, local media reported.
Already, Emirates, Etihad and Air Arabia said they harbour hopes of flying there once necessary governmental approvals have been made.
Currently travel between Kerala and the UAE is at all all-time high, due to the large numbers of Indian labourers and professionals working in the UAE as well as leisure travellers. Just three months after launching flights to Kerala, Etihad said it would add more flights there.
According to the Kerala government, inbound tourism is expected to grow by 10 per cent once the airport is in operation.
Emirates airline has been a beneficiary of this rise in air travel, experiencing 85 per cent load factors on its Kerala flights.
26/07/08 Ivan Gale/Gulf News, United Arab Emirates

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Categories: Airports Aug 2007, Foreign Aug 2007, New Aug 2007