Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurates Kerala Aviation Summit
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has 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.
He was speaking at the inauguration of the Kerala Aviation Summit, organised by Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
The Chief Minister highlighted that capital costs should also be lowered and that travel without time loss must be ensured. He praised the significant role that airports have played in promoting Kerala’s tourism sector and ensuring convenient travel for the diaspora.
He noted that CIAL has set a public-friendly model in the aviation industry, embracing technological changes and creating over 30,000 job opportunities. He added that strengthening air transport will attract more tourists, and Kerala has immense potential to become a civil aviation hub.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated the Airport Public Health Office (APHO) Health Centre at CIAL, stating that it would strengthen APHO’s operations. Minister K. Rajan handed over the keys of the health centre to S. Senthilnathan, DDG, Health Services.
The objective of the summit includes leveraging Kerala’s aviation facilities and investment potential; transforming the State into a global aviation hub, and strengthening regional aviation and logistics hubs. It also aims to raise awareness about digital air travel and the MRO ecosystem.
Published on August 23, 2025
