Aviation summit highlights potential of air taxis for Kerala’s urban mobility

A revolution in Kerala’s transportation sector is possible with the introduction of air taxis, experts who addressed the maiden Kerala Aviation Summit said here on Saturday.

A panel discussion, held on the first day of the two-day summit at Taj Cochin International Airport Hotel, explored the potential of air taxis, including helicopters, seaplanes, and eVTOLs (electric Vertical Take-off and Landing aircraft) for urban mobility.

Panellists at the session, moderated by K.N.G. Nair, chairman and managing director of Thumby Aviation, shared the view that the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) could play a crucial role in launching such services, according to a communication.

Payal Satish, vice-president of Sarla Aviation, said the future of mobility was in hybrid air taxis, and Kerala had great potential for such services. She expressed interest in setting up an operational hub at CIAL, noting that hybrid air taxis were an excellent solution for connecting pilgrimage and tourist destinations.

Syed Kamran Hussain, India RSO representative for De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited, emphasised the need for more infrastructure to support seaplane operations.

Ms. Satish said air taxi services could be feasible for popular destinations such as Munnar, Thekkady, Alappuzha, and Sabarimala.

Sunil Narayan, chairman and managing director of Chipson, commented that seaplanes were ideal for areas where road infrastructure was limited.

The panel highlighted that seaplanes could significantly impact the tourism sector and were well-suited for Kerala, given its abundant waterbodies and dams. The experts also recommended that more helipads were needed for helicopter operations and that single-engine helicopters should be permitted to take off from rooftops.

It was also noted that Kerala required more seaports. The small runway requirements for eVTOLs made them a viable option for the State. Panellists suggested that smaller helicopters could help ease traffic congestion in Kerala, where space was limited on both sides of the road.

Inaugurating the summit, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan called for making air travel more accessible to the public by reducing travel and operational costs. He emphasised the need for a planned approach to foster the growth of the aviation industry.

The Chief Minister also inaugurated the Airport Public Health Office Health Centre at CIAL. Industries Minister P. Rajeeve chaired the meet. CIAL in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry is hosting the aviation summit.