http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1378111.cms
Thiruvananthapuram gets 55 new flights THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With 55 new flights, 30 of them international, set to commence operations every week, the Thiruvananthapuram airport will get busier in the next few months. Already in the international sector, the national carriers of six countries operate 70 flights and in the domestic sector, Indian Airlines and Jet Airways operate 32 flights every week. "The new international carriers arriving here include Emirates, Al-Etihad, Saudi Arabian Airlines and Malaysia Airlines," said K.V. Muraleedharan, president of the Kerala Association of Travel Agents. "In the domestic sector, Air Deccan, Indigo, Kingfisher and Paramount are to operate in the coming months." Thiruvananthapuram airport had suffered badly with the development of the Cochin international airport, with quite a number of flights switching locations. Emirates is all set to launch its service from here Feb 1 and it will operate eight flights every week. "As of now, close to 1.2 million passengers use the international airport here and with the new international carriers set to commence operations, the number would go up to 1.8 million a year. In the domestic sector, it will increase from 250,000 to 600,000," said Muraleedharan. The Thiruvananthapuram airport has its catchment areas in Madurai in Tamil Nadu and up to three districts in central Kerala ---------- This story seems to have practically everything for the aviation debate of Goa. The sole exception might be that here the civil enclave should (must!) continue for all time at Dabolim even after Mopa is ready.
