Union decision confines Saudi carriers from operating to Thiruvananthapuram
The Union government has rejected a request by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to designate Thiruvananthapuram International Airport as a Point of Call (POC) under the existing India–Saudi Arabia Air Services Agreement (ASA), the Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol, said in Parliament on Tuesday.
According to the Minister, the central policy is to promote international operations from non‑metro airports through Indian carriers — either directly or by leveraging domestic feeder services. As a result, new POC status under bilateral ASAs is not being granted to foreign carriers for non‑metro airports, including Thiruvananthapuram.
"The Centre has decided not to entertain the Saudi request,"
The decision means that, despite strong demand for seats on Kerala–Saudi routes, particularly during festival seasons such as Onam, only Indian carriers will be permitted to operate services between Thiruvananthapuram and Saudi Arabian cities, and even these will be subject to the mutually agreed capacity limits under the ASA.
Current services and recent history
Airport sources and the Ministry reply note that at present Air India Express is the sole operator on the Thiruvananthapuram–Dammam route, offering seven services a week. Earlier, a Saudi carrier had operated a Thiruvananthapuram–Riyadh service but discontinued it after the airport was removed from the list of Points of Call.
| Airline | Route | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Air India Express | Thiruvananthapuram–Dammam | 7/week |
Implications for travellers and airlines
- Passenger demand on Gulf sectors is high in Kerala, particularly during festivals and for migrant worker travel; restricting POC status to Indian carriers may limit seat supply and fare competition on key routes.
- The Centre’s policy prioritises expansion of international connectivity through Indian carriers rather than opening routes to foreign airlines at non‑metro airports.
- Capacity on routes will continue to be governed by the bilateral ASA between India and Saudi Arabia, meaning additional frequencies or capacity require mutual agreement between the two governments and designated carriers.
Kerala’s expatriate population in the Gulf, and families dependent on regular services for religious travel, work rotations and seasonal trips, had lobbied for broader access to Gulf carriers to improve seat availability and reduce fares. With the Centre’s refusal, stakeholders will have to rely on Indian carriers’ commercial decisions and any capacity allotments negotiated within the ASA framework.
Wider context in Kerala aviation
The Ministry’s stance follows a similar approach taken in recent instances involving other airports in the State. The Centre has previously declined to grant POC or open‑sky statuses for certain airports — the report cited Kannur International Airport being denied ASEAN Open Skies status — signalling a consistent preference to build up international services via Indian carriers from non‑metro hubs rather than opening them to foreign operators.
For passengers and travel planners in Thiruvananthapuram, the immediate consequence is that any relief in seat shortages on Saudi routes will depend on Indian carriers expanding schedules or increasing capacity, or on renewed bilateral negotiations that alter capacity caps. The Ministry reply provides clarity on the government’s regulatory position but leaves open the commercial question of how airlines will respond to persistent demand peaks during festivals and peak migration periods.
Further developments will depend on airline decisions and any future diplomatic or bilateral talks between India and Saudi Arabia that might revisit route designations or capacity allocations under the ASA.
