Indian expats in UAE urge PM Modi to intervene in Air India Express flight cuts from Kerala

New Delhi: Indian expatriates in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop Air India Express (AIE) from reducing services from four major airports in Kerala. The move, they fear, will disrupt affordable travel options for thousands of migrant workers and families who depend on direct connections to the Gulf region.

The Indian Association Sharjah (IAS), led by president Nissar Thalangara, has submitted a petition to the Prime Minister’s Office warning that the cancellations could dismantle a "critical lifeline” for middle- and low-income travellers. According to reports, though AIE has not released its winter schedule, it is expected to cancel several flights from Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode and Kannur between late October and March, Gulf News reported. 

Community leaders have voiced strong concerns. Jayachandran Nair, president of the India Social and Cultural Centre (ISC) in Abu Dhabi, wrote on social media: "Air India must stop treating Kerala as a stepchild. If this neglect continues, many of us will have no hesitation in moving our loyalty to other airlines, who may step in to serve the state better.”

The petition underlined that Kerala sends one of the largest shares of Indian workers to GCC countries, many of whom rely on low-cost carriers. Rising fares have already become a burden, with return tickets to south Indian routes in December ranging between Dh1200 and Dh1400.

Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor also raised the matter with Air India managing director Campbell Wilson, saying that Kerala’s high international traffic makes any curtailment unacceptable. He warned: "Any curtailment of services at this stage will inevitably cause severe hardship to migrant workers, students, tourists and families, while also hampering trade and tourism.” He further criticised the airline’s decision to withdraw business-class services on the Delhi–Thiruvananthapuram route, calling it an "insult to injury.”

The Sharjah petition suggested a seven-point action plan, including temporary continuation of essential routes, fare-protection measures, fair allocation of slots, and a monitoring task force with diaspora representation.

Expats stressed that reduced access will not only harm vulnerable travellers but also undermine Kerala’s tourism and economic prospects. As the petition concluded, while AIE may have commercial reasons, the public interest consequences are "enormous and immediate.”

The community hopes Modi’s intervention will safeguard Kerala’s vital air links with the Gulf.