Karipur: Another foreign airline is set to discontinue service at Karipur. Gulf Air, which operates flights from Kozhikode to Bahrain and Doha, is ending service. The final flight, scheduled for 5 am on March 31, will mark the end of Gulf Air’s seven-year-long operations from the airport.

Gulf Air is the third airline to exit Karipur following Air India’s withdrawal of services. The airline stated that the decision to suspend Kozhikode operations is part of a service restructuring plan. However, passengers have been left disappointed as the service was profitable. Gulf Air was known for its affordable ticket prices, quality meals and punctual operations compared to other airlines.

Gulf Air had launched Kozhikode-Bahrain and Doha services in June, 2018. The airline also operated connecting flights to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Jeddah and Europe. Services were available on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The aircraft, which had a capacity of 159 passengers, reportedly operated at full occupancy daily.

Earlier, Air India had discontinued services from Kozhikode to Sharjah, Dubai, Jeddah and Riyadh. Three months ago, Saudia also withdrew from Kozhikode operations. In addition, Air India has reduced flights to Doha and Bahrain as part of summer schedule. Meanwhile, IndiGo, which operates in the region, has not increased services. Gulf Air’s decision is expected to lead to higher fares and increased passenger congestion on routes to Doha and Bahrain.

Allegations of lobbying against Kozhikode Airport
There are growing concerns that lobbying is working against Kozhikode Airport, especially following Gulf Air’s withdrawal. "It is essential for the government and public representatives to make a concerted effort to bring back Gulf Air, which has been providing excellent service," said A K A Naseer, a member of the airport advisory committee.

‘Attempts to weaken Karipur Airport’
"Haj pilgrims from Karipur are being exploited. There is a clear conspiracy behind this, with an ultimate aim to weaken the airport. Compared to last year, the number of Haj pilgrims from Karipur has halved this time. If this trend continues for the next two years, there may be no pilgrims departing from Karipur. The real objective appears to be eliminating Karipur as a Haj embarkation point," T V Ibrahim, MLA from Kondotty, where the airport is situated, alleged.

Authorities cite various limitations at Karipur Airport, but these claims are not entirely reasonable. Karipur ranks eighth in India in terms of passenger traffic. Despite being labeled a tabletop airport, it successfully operated large aircraft between 2001 and 2015 until runway resurfacing work began. It is important to remember that the 2020 air crash was attributed to pilot error, not airport shortcomings, according to reports. However, these facts are often ignored while spreading concerns about the airport’s limitations.

It is suspected that deliberate efforts are being made to favour other private-participation airports in Kerala. Restrictions on large aircraft and the need for chartered flights to operate with empty legs are cited as reasons for increased Haj travel fares. However, ticket prices from all Indian airports to Saudi Arabia remain largely the same, with Kozhikode often offering lower fares. There is no justification for an additional Rs 40,000 hike in Haj ticket prices from Karipur. Despite the previous price discrepancies, Kozhikode remains the preferred choice for most pilgrims. The continuous fare hikes seem to be a strategy to discourage pilgrims from using the Kozhikode embarkation point. The Central Government is neither revising its policies nor negotiating with airlines to reduce fares.

The state government, instead of intervening effectively, appears to be focusing on the expansion of Kannur Airport.

Runway expansion delayed
Although 12.543 acres of land have been acquired for runway expansion, the project is progressing at a sluggish pace. Even after completing the tender process in February 2024 and over a year into construction, less than 10% of the work has been completed. The central and state governments must take immediate action to resolve the crisis at Kozhikode Airport.