THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ras Al-Khaimah Airways (RAK), the fourth national airline of the UAE, is seriously considering a plan to increase the frequency of its flights to Kerala, apart from Kozhikode, which is already connected to its network. RAK plans to introduce new flights to Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi. This was announced by Omar Jahameh, Chief Executive Officer of RAK, in a press conference held here on Wednesday. At present, there are five RAK flights a week to Kozhikode and the carrier has plans to introduce flights to Mangalore and Hyderabad also. Jehameh said that the expatriates in Ras Al-Khaimah had made demands to increase the number of flights from the UAE to other parts of India. It was after receiving a number of such appeals from the Indian society in the UAE that the number of flights to Kozhikode was increased to five, he said. Jahameh also said that the rising number of the Malayali expatriate community in the Emirates of Ras Al-Khaimah has necessitated the operation of new flights to India. Currently, more than 1,000 Indian companies are operating from Ras Al-Khaima free trade zone. Most of the business firms set up there belong to people from South India. This necessitates the need for an effective air traffic between Ras Al-Khaima and Kerala. Muhammed Shihan, in charge of the flight operations in Kerala and Air Travel Enterprises’ managing director E M Najeeb were also present at the press conference. On Tuesday, the office-bearers of various Indian associations representing the Indian Community in Ras Al-Khaimah had demanded during their meeting with the Chief Minister that there was an urgent need for a better air connectivity between Ras Al-Khaimah to cities across India, especially Kerala. Saleem P B, president of the Indian Association in Ras Al-Khaimah, said that he was anxious to highlight how the absence of good air connections between the northern emirate and the Indian sub-continent was a major hindrance to Indian expatriate community at large, as well as to business, investment and tourism development. The UAE is home to more than two million Indian nationals, of whom almost 25 per cent live and work in the northern Emirate’s catchment areas, with the majority hailing from Kerala. “At present, these people have to travel a minimum of 2 to 4 hours by road just to reach an airport or an airline in the UAE that serves destinations in India other than Kozhikode,” said Saleem. “We have approached the national carrier of Ras Al-Khaimah and our national carrier Air India to commence flights to Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Mangalore and other Indian cities. RAK Airways positively responded to us and is ready to commence their operations to these cities with immediate effect,” Saleem said. The Chief Minister has also promised all help to the Indian community and the RAK Airways from the part of the State Government to realise their plans.
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