Prospects for granting hub status to Kochi international airport is looking up. Air India will start Dreamliner service in Delhi-Kochi-Dubai route this year. The Parliamentary Committee of the Civil Aviation Ministry ratified Kerala's argument that not granting hub status to Kochi in the draft Civil Aviation policy despite it being the country's fourth busiest airport is a grave omission. Civil Aviation Secretary V. Somasundaran assured the Parliamentary Committee that Kochi will be given due recognition at the time of policy approval. Air India MD Rohit Nandan also disclosed that efforts are on to start the Dubai Dreamliner service within three months.
K. C. Venugopal M.P had sought clarification in the Parliamentary Committee for not granting hub status to Kochi. The authorities replied that population and growth in air traffic were the yardsticks applied for granting hub status to three metro cities as well as Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Eventually they approved the stance that it was not fair to deny hub status to Kochi which stands ahead of Bengaluru and Hyderabad in the matter of traffic. Venugopal who is a former Civil Aviation Minister, had already raised this issue in Parliament.
Hub status for major airports is a system followed by developing countries. The airports chosen are those used by maximum passengers. Upon this some prominent airlines will make these airports their centers of operation. This will help facilitate the development of the airports and aid profitable functioning of the airlines. The Dreamliner which has capacity to handle more passengers conducting service in the Delhi-Kochi-Dubai route is expected to equally benefit Malayalis and Air India.
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