Amid increasing airfares to Gulf countries, especially during vacations, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi wrote to PM Modi on Thursday and sought Civil Aviation Ministry to provide necessary approval to operate additional/charter flights booked by Kerala government from the second week of April, 2023.
In a letter to Prime Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said, "Considering the huge demand for intervention during the festive season, the Government of Kerala has decided to operate additional/Chartered flights at reasonable airfares during the peak/festival seasons and vacations to the low- Income emigrants in Gulf countries."
As a result, CM said, " I request you to direct the Civil Aviation Ministry, to accord the necessary approvals expeditiously for additional/Charter flight operations booked by the Government of Kerala from the 2 week of April 2023."
The major festivals for Keralites such as Vishu, Easter and Ramadan fall in the 2 and 3 week of April 2023, said the CM.
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The Chief Minister highlighted the 'exorbitant' airfares sought by private airlines and how they are unaffordable to many including migrant workers during peak season.
Vijayan said, “The airline operators have not responded favourably to various requests from migrant organisations and the Kerala government in the recent past to fix airfares at reasonable levels.”
As a result, millions of migrant workers are forced to pay exorbitant airfares, sometimes to the tune of several months of their meagre savings, to travel to their homes, he added.