Mumbai: Maldives-based Island Air, which started daily flights to Thiruvananthapuram last month, is now planning to expand its operations in India.

The airline is looking to commence operations from Kochi, Chennai and Kolkata to Male by early 2009.

"We need to start more services. Besides us, only Air India operates daily services from India to Maldives," said Bandhu Ibrahim Saleem, managing director of Island Air.

"We are considering Kochi, Chennai and Kolkata. As far as the Thiruvananthapuram-Male service is concerned, we are working on a plan to commence twice daily flights on the route by mid-2008," said Saleem.

At present, the airline operates a 50-seater turboprop aircraft on this route.

"By next year, we will operate A320 aircraft in India. We have placed orders for the aircraft to operate on the Indian routes," said Hussain Haidhar, assistant director-flight operations, Island Air.