Keralites in UK all excited with prospects of British Airways’ direct flight from London to Kochi

By A Staff Reporter

LONDON May 15: British Airways are understood to be working out the feasibility of beginning a direct flight from London to Kochi and return, highly placed sources informed www.ukmalayalee.com.

Officials from British Airways have been to Kochi and held several round of discussions and final outcome is awaited if all things fall according to plan for the airlines, top officials from Cochin International Airport Limited informed this website (www.ukmalayalee.com).

At present it is only Air India flying direct flights from London Gatwick to Kochi and return. The prices of these direct flights being operated thrice a week are hiked to the maximum as there arent any other airlines operating direct flights from London to Kochi and thus Air India has kept monopoly for this sector.

It is understood that British Airways higher officials have visited Kochi and assessed CIAL’s baggage handling, ramp operations and passenger services and confirmed them as all okay. It is likely that a declaration will be made soon and that British Airways is likely to start operations in two to three months’ time.

It is also seen as a positive development by the Keralite community in UK as a direct British Airways flight from London to Kochi means they have an alternative and also with another player in this field the rates are also going to come down with more competition.

Another advantage the community will have is that British Airways can offer connectivity flights for those living in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to reach Gatwick or London by British Airways to take the direct flight to Kochi.

Dr Rajmohan Padmanabhan from United Scotland Malayalee Association (USMA), which has been in the forefront in efforts to have a direct flight by British Airways from London to Kochi is all excited with the news.

Dr Rajmohan Padmanabhan said: “Kochi is the commercial capital of Kerala – post Brexit/post Covid, the commercial advantages to the UK and Kerala could be immense with this route. Kochi is one of the most sought after destination in India. With the opening of the health sector there is a huge inflow of healthcare workers from Kerala to UK and this generates immense potential for a direct flight by British Airways”.

“This will also help those Keralites those who are living in the east coast of the US as they will be able to come to the UK to get a direct flight to Kochi”.

Sreejith Sreedharan from Malayalee Association of UK is all excited as according to him this comes at the right times as “second and third generation Malayalees are now more looking to Kerala as holiday destination with more resorts and improved standards of holiday destinations sprining up. Kerala culture and toursim remains a huge sector with the holiday season coming up this is an aeciting prospect. It is also imperative to say that there should also be direct flights to Thiruvananthapuram taking into consideration the huge influx of migrants coming to the UK from Thiruvananthapuram”.

Speaking to this website UUKMA spokesperson expressed delight at the prospect of a direct flight by British Airways from London to Kochi. “It will help the community to travel for a better fare as at present it is Air India ruling the sector. With more players coming into the fray it will benefit the community.

According to Kairali UK, this will  be an opportunity for Keralites here to have another option to choose from. The more players coming into the fray will help the fares to be kept at par and it will accelerate more frequent trips to Kerala.

Moran Birger, the British Airways’ head of sales for South Asia, Middle East and Africa had said: “British Airways is getting strong demand from India, its second-largest market after the US. India is an incredibly important market for us”.

British Airways weekly operates 56 flights between London and India. Other than Mumbai, it flies to Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, and Hyderabad.