The migrant workforce employed in the key sectors in the State will be a relieved lot from this summer as the seasonal schedule of airlines to be released soon will have some surprises for them.
The summer schedule that coincides with India’s decision of opening up its skies for international flights with full capacity after a long pandemic-induced gap will see launching of new routes to migrant pockets and restoring of routes operated before the COVID pandemic.
So far, the air connectivity to northeastern States was only available from Cochin International Airport although these were not operational fully after the lockdown. Summer schedule will see the reinstatement of all these existing routes and launching of new routes to the migrant hinterlands in the northeastern States, according to industry sources.
Indigo airlines has already started receiving bookings for its new flight service from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport to Durgapur in West Bengal from March 27. The Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport in Durgapur is the nearest airport for the migrants from Murshidabad, which is one of the longest migrant corridors in the country. In addition, the route will benefit the migrants from Jharkhand due to its proximity.
Further, sources close to the airline confirmed that they have received clearance to start another new service from Thiruvananthapuram to Kolkata, which would officially be announced soon. These two routes with a stopover at Bengaluru (for the Durgapur flight) and Chennai (for the Kolkata flight) are mainly aimed at migrant workforce employed here. “We have a steady traffic to these two northeastern cities from Bengaluru and Chennai and if there is a considerable number of passengers to these destinations from Kerala, these flights will be regularised as direct flights,” said sources.
The summer schedule of Cochin International Airport (CIAL) will also see the restoration of Kochi-Guwahati direct flight, the Kochi-Kolkata, and the Kochi-Lucknow flights. “Nagaon (Assam)-Kochi, and Murshidabad-Kochi are the two longest migrant corridors in the country, especially in the last two decades. Guwahati flight is benefiting the migrants from Assam and neighbouring States, while the new Durgapur flight will cater to the migrants from Murshidabad and neighbouring cities,” said Benoy Peter, executive director, Centre for Migration and Inclusive Development.
Kerala has over 30-lakh migrant population and air travel would save them considerable amount of time. There are agents among them to book tickets. So, the fare of the air ticket is not a big deal for them. Moreover, the new traffic culture would spur further migration from these States to Kerala in the coming years,” said Mr. Peter.
Info box
Thiruvanathapuram schedule:
Durgapur service from March 27
Trivandrum-Kolkata – To be announced soon
Summer schedule of CIAL will have:
Kochi-Guwahati
Kochi-Kolkata
Kochi-Lucknow flights
