Plans for a new Indian airline, Air Kerala, are gaining ground with the company now targeting the launch of its domestic operations in the first quarter of next year and expand internationally by 2026, the UAE-based businessman spearheading the company has said.
The company behind the airline, Zettfly Aviation, has received the initial no-objection certificate (NOC) from India’s Civil Aviation Ministry to operate air transport services, its chairman Afi Ahmed told The National.
"The first step is the NOC, it's one of the biggest tasks and that task is now covered," he said.
The next steps will be to focus on the technical aspects, flights, contracts for the engineering companies, with all of that expected to be fulfilled in "around six to eight months".
Being set up as an "ultra low-cost airline", Air Kerala plans to start out with three ATR 72-600 aircraft and grow its fleet to 20 for international expansion.
The company is exploring the possibility of leasing the aircraft or buying the planes.
The company will require an estimated 60 to 100 crore Indian rupees ($7.1 million to $11.9 million) in funding initially, with the amount rising to 250 crore rupees to 300 crore rupees for growth when it expands its route network to international destinations.
The idea of Air Kerala was first proposed by the Kerala state government in 2005 and the airline was registered as a fully owned subsidiary of Cochin International Airport in 2006.
Although it was announced with much fanfare and was touted as one of the most popular and ambitious projects to support Keralites living abroad, the project was shelved several times by successive governments.
Mr Ahmed, founder of Dubai tourism agency Smart Travels, last year bought the domain name airkerala.com for Dh1 million ($270,000) and then decided to revive plans for the airline.
Its proposed launch comes amid growth in India's aviation sector. Domestic traffic is forecast to grow 6 per cent to 8 per cent annually to reach up to 164 million airline passengers for the year ending March 31, 2025, aviation consultancy Capa India said in a report this month.
Meanwhile, international traffic is projected to grow at a slightly faster pace of 9 per cent to 11 per cent year-on-year, to reach up to 78 million passengers during the period.
Initially, Air Kerala plans to serve cities within the state of Kerala as well as across India that are not currently well-connected.
The airline's biggest selling point will be its ultra-low-cost model, Mr Ahmed said.
Another unique selling point will be "the timing" because "we will make sure that we will be on time", he added.
The company is open to a public-private partnership with the Kerala state government, in case they are keen to tie up, the businessman said.
It is also open to teaming up with expatriates, as well as external funding.
"If there is somebody who wants to join with us because we are expanding ... then I can [achieve] the plan a little bit faster," he said.
In terms of international expansion, the company is confident the huge number of expatriates from Kerala will support its growth.
The number of emigrants from the Indian state stood at more than 2.2 million, according to the Kerala Migration Survey 2023, which was released last month.
The size of global Malayali diaspora has grown to reach an estimated five million, the report found.
The Gulf remains the preferred destination, with 80.5 per cent choosing the region and the UAE topping the list in terms of countries.
Air Kerala is not keen on focusing on only one specific city within the UAE, Mr Ahmed said.
"If we are getting an opportunity from Fujairah also, we will do it ... if you look at who is leading the market, it's [driven by] price ... that's the reason we will make sure that our costs are ultra-low."
However, final decisions on pricing and destinations will be taken at a much later stage and will depend on how its international expansion strategy shapes up.
For now, the company expects to be in the red for two years after launching operations.
"Third and fourth year [is when] we are going to start to get profits," he said.
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Director: Hasan Hadi
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Rating: 4/5
The major Hashd factions linked to Iran:
Badr Organisation: Seen as the most militarily capable faction in the Hashd. Iraqi Shiite exiles opposed to Saddam Hussein set up the group in Tehran in the early 1980s as the Badr Corps under the supervision of the Iran Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). The militia exalts Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei but intermittently cooperated with the US military.
Saraya Al Salam (Peace Brigade): Comprised of former members of the officially defunct Mahdi Army, a militia that was commanded by Iraqi cleric Moqtada Al Sadr and fought US and Iraqi government and other forces between 2004 and 2008. As part of a political overhaul aimed as casting Mr Al Sadr as a more nationalist and less sectarian figure, the cleric formed Saraya Al Salam in 2014. The group’s relations with Iran has been volatile.
Kataeb Hezbollah: The group, which is fighting on behalf of the Bashar Al Assad government in Syria, traces its origins to attacks on US forces in Iraq in 2004 and adopts a tough stance against Washington, calling the United States “the enemy of humanity”.
Asaeb Ahl Al Haq: An offshoot of the Mahdi Army active in Syria. Asaeb Ahl Al Haq’s leader Qais al Khazali was a student of Mr Al Moqtada’s late father Mohammed Sadeq Al Sadr, a prominent Shiite cleric who was killed during Saddam Hussein’s rule.
Harakat Hezbollah Al Nujaba: Formed in 2013 to fight alongside Mr Al Assad’s loyalists in Syria before joining the Hashd. The group is seen as among the most ideological and sectarian-driven Hashd militias in Syria and is the major recruiter of foreign fighters to Syria.
Saraya Al Khorasani: The ICRG formed Saraya Al Khorasani in the mid-1990s and the group is seen as the most ideologically attached to Iran among Tehran’s satellites in Iraq.
(Source: The Wilson Centre, the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation)
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
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What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
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Rating: 3/5
Fanney Khan
Producer: T-Series, Anil Kapoor Productions, ROMP, Prerna Arora
Director: Atul Manjrekar
Cast: Anil Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai, Rajkummar Rao, Pihu Sand
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This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
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Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
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Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Results
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Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
About Takalam
Date started: early 2020
Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech and wellness
Number of staff: 4
Funding to date: Bootstrapped
Which honey takes your fancy?
Al Ghaf Honey
The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year
Sidr Honey
The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest
Samar Honey
The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Series info
Test series schedule 1st Test, Abu Dhabi: Sri Lanka won by 21 runs; 2nd Test, Dubai: Play starts at 2pm, Friday-Tuesday
ODI series schedule 1st ODI, Dubai: October 13; 2nd ODI, Abu Dhabi: October 16; 3rd ODI, Abu Dhabi: October 18; 4th ODI, Sharjah: October 20; 5th ODI, Sharjah: October 23
T20 series schedule 1st T20, Abu Dhabi: October 26; 2nd T20, Abu Dhabi: October 27; 3rd T20, Lahore: October 29
Tickets Available at www.q-tickets.com
Stat Fourteen Fourteen of the past 15 Test matches in the UAE have been decided on the final day. Both of the previous two Tests at Dubai International Stadium have been settled in the last session. Pakistan won with less than an hour to go against West Indies last year. Against England in 2015, there were just three balls left.
Key battle - Azhar Ali v Rangana Herath Herath may not quite be as flash as Muttiah Muralitharan, his former spin-twin who ended his career by taking his 800th wicket with his final delivery in Tests. He still has a decent sense of an ending, though. He won the Abu Dhabi match for his side with 11 wickets, the last of which was his 400th in Tests. It was not the first time he has owned Pakistan, either. A quarter of all his Test victims have been Pakistani. If Pakistan are going to avoid a first ever series defeat in the UAE, Azhar, their senior batsman, needs to stand up and show the way to blunt Herath.
