Parliament Question: Point of Call Status to Kannur International Airport

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 2299 ( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 12th February 2026 ) POINT OF CALL STATUS TO KANNUR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

2299. SHRI K SUDHAKARAN Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

(a) whether the Government has received representations to designate Kannur International Airport as a “tourist destination” under the ASEAN Open Sky Policy to allow operations by foreign carriers;

(b) if so, the current status thereof and the specific criteria used by the Government to classify an airport as one of the 18 designated tourist destinations under this policy;

(c) whether the Government is aware that the lack of “Point of Call” status and exclusion from the Open Sky Policy is causing a monopoly of certain carriers, leading to exorbitant airfares for the North Malabar diaspora and if so, the details thereof; and

(d) whether the Government has fixed any specific timeline to review the Bilateral Air Services Agreements to include Kannur as a point of call for major Middle Eastern and South-East Asian airlines and if so, the details thereof? ANSWER Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Murlidhar Mohol)

(a) to (d): Yes, the Government has received representations to designate Kannur International Airport as a "tourist destination" under the ASEAN Open Sky policy.

Presently, the Government of India promotes more international operations by Indian carriers from non-metro points either directly or through their own domestic operations. Accordingly, non-metro points, including Kannur, are not being granted as new Point of Call in the ASAs to any foreign carrier.

The identification of the 18 points under the ASEAN Open Sky policy was a one- time policy decision after due consideration keeping in view the prevailing operational, strategic, and administrative factors.

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