Low-cost airline Air Kerala secures NOC from civil aviation ministry, plans regional launch in 2025

Low-cost airline, Air Kerala, said that it has received a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The NOC was awarded over the weekend, the company announced in the press conference in Dubai. 

Promoted by Dubai-based entrepreneurs Afi Ahmed and Ayub Kallada, Air Kerala, will be the first regional airline of India’s southernmost state. 

According to a Khaleej Times report, the airline registered under the name Zettfly Aviation has permission to operate scheduled commuter air transport services for three years. 

Commenting on the development, Afi Ahmed said, “This is the result of years of our hard work. My partners and I have been working tirelessly to make this a reality. Several people questioned us and dismissed it, saying it would never become a reality. We still have a long way to go but the NOC is a big step for us.”  

Last year, Ahmed, the founder of agency Smart Travels, had paid a local company a whopping Dh1 million for the domain name airkerala.com. With this, he began to revive the hopes of Air Keralaa, a project that was first touted by the Kerala government in 2005.  

According to reports, the airline is planning to start operations in 2025. Initially, the service will connect Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities using three ATR 72-600 aircraft. 

“Our next steps involve acquiring aircraft and complying with the necessary regulatory requirements to obtain our Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC),” Ayub Kallada told Khaleej Times. “This is a critical phase that ensures we meet all safety and operational standards set by the aviation authorities.” 

The businessmen said the airline will soon begin its procedure for acquiring aircraft and they are exploring options in both the leasing market and direct procurement from manufacturers. 

Air Kerala will have to operate regionally before it can branch out into international flights. “We plan to connect Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities with Tier 1 and metro airports,” said Ayub. 

The airline will add international flights in future when its fleet hits 20 aircraft. “Dubai will be one of our first international flights,” said Afi adding “The initial investment needed for our project is the equivalent of approximately Dh110 million.”