Qatar Airways pleased with Kerala operations

Thursday, 10 April 2003, 19:30 IST
Printer Print Email Email
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With its operations to Kochi getting off to a flying start, Qatar Airways is contemplating expanding its presence in Kerala and diversifying into tourism. Qatar Airways, which commenced its Kochi operations on March 6, has had an encouraging beginning with an 80 percent load factor. On an average, the airline carries about 170 passengers daily from Kerala. The airline, which began flying into this Kerala capital five years ago, now lands here every day of the week and in Kochi thrice a week. A big boon for Keralites flying on 2the airline is the connection it has offered to Manchester in Britain from this month. "On an average we have six to seven passengers flying into Manchester on every flight from Kerala. This, by industry standards, is a high number from a single state in the country," Kuruvilla Mathew, the southern India area manager of the airline, told IANS. The Qatar Airways group is also looking at Kerala as a market for its affiliated tourism services. Qatar Holidays, a sister concern, is working out exotic packages for inbound tourism to Kerala. "Ayurveda would be the crucial element in any tourism package and this is one area where there have been lot of enquiries in Qatar. If everything goes as per schedule, we should have our packages ready for the coming monsoon season in Kerala from June," said Mathew. Akbar Al Baker, the airline's chief executive officer, is scheduled to arrive in Kerala shortly. Officials said one of his top priorities is likely to be seeking ways to expand the airline's presence in Kerala.
Source: IANS
siliconindia