erala may soon become the first state in India to boast of a state-run airline.

Many Malayalee workers in the Gulf find it tough to visit their home state, Kerala [Images], because of the unaffordable rates of the international airlines.

The new low-cost airline, Air India Express, planned by the state Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, will be at least 30 per cent cheaper than other international airlines and is aimed at Keralites residing in the Gulf.

A fully-owned subsidiary of Air India, Air India Express plans to operate 31 flights from three airports in Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi (Nedumbassery) and Kozhikode.

Kerala is already equipped with three fully functional international airports -- at Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode. A fourth is being planned at Kannur.

These airports have daily flights operating from Singapore, Colombo, Male, Muscat, Bahrain, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, besides other places.

The state proposes to start with three big aircrafts and two turbo jets.

The new airline will also have flights to Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad.

Fares for Air India Express:

• From Thiruvananthapuram to Abu Dhabi: Rs 3,250 ($74).
• From Mumbai to Dubai: Rs 2,750 ($62) per ticket.

There will be 12 flights from Kochi daily, to Dubai; one exclusive flight to Abu Dhabi; and four flights to both Abu  Dhabi and Muscat.

The first such flight Air India Express IX 421 took off to Abu Dhabi on April 29 with 132 passengers.