Centre rejects Kerala government’s plea for more Dubai flights on Onam

NEW DELHI: The central government has rejected the Kerala government’s request to allow extra flights between the state’s three international airports and Dubai to clear the rush of passengers travelling during the Onam festival season. Domestic carriers had opposed the move that would have allowed carriers based in the emirate to ply an additional 21 flights a week over and above bilateral entitlements.

This is the first time the state had formally asked for special flights — for the month starting August 10 — to clear the Onam rush. But seats were already going empty, according to a central government official.

“One factor (for denying the request) was that existing flights between Kerala and Dubai did not have full passenger loads meaning there was enough capacity left to be filled,” he said.

An aviation ministry official said flight connectivity between the Gulf and Kerala takes on political overtones in the state, given that so many Malayalees work in the region. Non-resident Indians in Dubai had even asked PM Narendra Modi to look into the matter of high fares during the festive season.