CleanupBot II at 08:41, 14 August 2023

2023-08-14T08:41:19Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox airline
|airline = Kerala Seaplane
|logo =
|logo_size = 200px
|fleet_size =
|destinations =
|parent = [[Kerala Tourism Development Corporation]]
|headquarters = [[Kerala]], [[India]]
|company_slogan =
|founded = 2 June 2013
|commenced = August 2013
|bases = {{unbulleted list|[[Trivandrum International Airport]]|[[Cochin International Airport]]|[[Calicut International Airport]]|[[Mangalore International Airport]]}}<ref name="Connecting flight" />
|hubs =
|secondary_hubs =
|focus_cities =
|frequent_flyer =
|lounge =
|affiliate =
|website = [http://keralaseaplane.com keralaseaplane.com]
}}

'''Kerala Seaplane''' was a commercial seaplane service promoted by Kerala Tourism Infrastructure Limited<ref name="TNIE">{{cite news | url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/Despite-brouhaha-seaplane-project-fails-to-take-off/2013/08/24/article1749582.ece| title=Despite brouhaha, seaplane project fails to take off | work=[[The New Indian Express]]|date=24 August 2013|access-date=11 August 2014}}</ref> in the [[India]]n state of [[Kerala]]. It was launched on 2 June 2013 at [[Kollam]] with the inaugural flight being operated by [[Kairali Aviation]].<ref name="Connecting flight">{{cite news | title=Tourism to take wings with seaplane's take-off | work=[[The Hindu]] Delhi edition| date=2 June 2013 | author=Special Correspondent | pages=7}}</ref> However, commercial operations could not start due to opposition from the local fishing community. The Kerala Government was keen on restarting regular operations of the project in 2014.<ref name="DNA">{{cite news | url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-kerala-government-keen-to-re-start-sea-plane-service-as-early-as-possible-1964981| title=Kerala Government keen to re-start sea plane service as early as possible | work=[[Daily News and Analysis]]|date=25 February 2014|access-date=11 August 2014}}</ref>
The service was to be the first such service in mainland India, and the second in India after [[Jal Hans]], which operates seaplanes in the [[Andaman and Nicobar Islands]]. Work on the Kerala seaplane project began at the end of July, 2012 and has been praised for being one of the fastest projects to be completed in Kerala.<ref name="Fastest">{{cite news | url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/Seaplane-project-fastest-in-Kerala/articleshow/20374869.cms | title=Seaplane project fastest in Kerala | publisher=[[The Times of India]] | work=Times News Network | date=1 June 2013 | access-date=3 June 2013 | location=Thiruvananthapuram, India}}</ref>

==Structure & working==
The role of the [[Kerala Government]] was only that of a facilitator and regulator. [[Kerala Tourism]] was to do the work of marketing and promotion. Facilities like [[Seadrome|water dromes]] and floating jetties have already been built by the [[Kerala Government]] at [[Ashtamudi]], [[Kumarakom]], [[Vembanad]] and [[Bekal Fort|Bekal]]. These are the four initial tourist spots being connected by the seaplane. These facilities will also be constructed at 21 other tourist spots (including [[Paravur, Kollam|Paravur]]) later. Houseboats have been deployed at the take-off and landing places for seaplanes and are equipped with special lounges for tourists.<ref name="Connecting flight" />

The fares for the seaplane services were fixed by the operators and the seaplane services were to be operated by five operators — Bharat Aviation, Kairali Aviation, Mehair, [[Pawan Hans]] and Wings Aviation — from 10am to 5pm.<ref name="Connecting flight" /> The rate for the flight had been announced as {{INR}}6000 per hour, subject to change. Refuelling and maintenance of the seaplanes were to be done at their respective base-station airports and not at the waterdromes to prevent any harm to marine ecology.<ref name="HT" />

==Inauguration==

The service was launched on 2 June 2013 by [[Chief Minister of Kerala]] [[Oommen Chandy]] in the backwaters of the [[Ashtamudi Lake]] in [[Kollam district]] using a 5+1 seater [[Cessna 206#Cessna 206H|Cessna 206H]] [[amphibian aircraft]]. The inaugural flight took off on time, but landed back at Ashtamudi after flying for a short distance due to bad weather.<ref name="IBNLive"/> It was to be officially launched for tourists in August 2013.<ref name="TOI">{{cite news | url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-06-02/india/39690733_1_seaplane-ashtamudi-lake-chief-minister-oommen-chandy | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130608221022/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-06-02/india/39690733_1_seaplane-ashtamudi-lake-chief-minister-oommen-chandy | url-status=dead | archive-date=8 June 2013 | title=Kerala launches country's first tourist seaplane service | date=2 June 2013 | access-date=3 June 2013 | work=[[The Times of India]] | location=Kollam, India}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.newkerala.com/news/story/25501/kerala-cm-inaugurates-seaplane-service.html |title=Kerala CM inaugurates seaplane Service |work=newskerala.com |date=2 June 2013 |access-date=3 June 2013 |location=Kollam, India |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150506234431/http://www.newkerala.com/news/story/25501/kerala-cm-inaugurates-seaplane-service.html |archive-date=6 May 2015 }}</ref>

Kerala's Minister for Tourism, [[A.P. Anil Kumar]], had announced that four more companies would launch services from the [[Thiruvananthapuram]], [[Kochi]], [[Kozhikode]] and [[Mangalore]] airports to backwaters in [[Kollam]], [[Alappuzha]], [[Ernakulam]] and [[Kasargode]] districts by the end of 2013.<ref name="IBNLive">{{cite web | url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/kerala-cm-oommen-chandy-launches-indias-first-seaplane-service/395791-62.html | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130629121246/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/kerala-cm-oommen-chandy-launches-indias-first-seaplane-service/395791-62.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=29 June 2013 | title=Kerala CM Oommen Chandy launches India's first seaplane service | publisher=IBNLive.com | work=IANS | date=3 June 2013 | access-date=3 June 2013}}</ref>

===Reactions===
The inaugural launch received a mixed response with protests by two [[Left Democratic Front (Kerala)|Left backed organisations]] of traditional fishermen who claimed that the seaplane service was a threat to their livelihood and marine ecology.<ref name="TOI" /> Owing to protests, the seaplane was forced to change its landing location.<ref name="IBNLive" /> But, Mr. Anil Kumar said, "The fishing community in [[Kollam]] has given its approval to the tourism project. Now, we will speak to the community at [[Alappuzha]] to convince them that it will not threaten their profession."<ref name="HT">{{cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Kerala/Kerala-launches-India-s-first-seaplane-service/Article1-1069890.aspx |title=Kerala launches India's first seaplane service |work=[[Hindustan Times]] |date=2 June 2013 |access-date=3 June 2013 |author=IANS |location=Kollam, India |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603190754/http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Kerala/Kerala-launches-India-s-first-seaplane-service/Article1-1069890.aspx |archive-date= 3 June 2013 }}</ref> The government, however, constituted a committee to study the impact of the seaplane operations on the livelihood of the local fishing community<ref name="TNIE"/>

The aircraft remained grounded at the Cochin international airport at Nedumbaserry since 3 June. The expert committee was unable to submit its final report even towards the end of the year. Kairali Aviation, unable to cope with the mounting losses and the uncertainty of restarting the service, returned the aircraft back to its lessor.<ref name="IBNLiveDec2013">{{cite web | url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/hopes-sink-for-seaplane-service/article5422874.ece| title=Hopes sink for seaplane service | publisher=IBNLive.com | work=IANS | date=5 December 2013 | access-date=11 August 2014}}</ref>
==Domestic Destinations ==

*'''[[Kerala]]'''
**[[Kochi International Airport]]
**[[Calicut International Airport]]
**[[Trivandrum International Airport]]
**[[Kollam]]
**[[Bekal]]
**[[Astamudi]]
**[[Ernakulam]]
**[[Kasargode]]
**[[Alappuzha]]
*'''[[Karnataka]]'''
**[[Mangalore International Airport]]

==See also==
* [[Jal Hans]]
* [[List of airlines of India]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130621060611/http://keralaseaplane.com/index.php Wings Aviation website]

{{Airlines of India}}
[[Category:Proposed airlines of India]]
[[Category:Defunct airlines of India]]
[[Category:Transport in Kollam]]
[[Category:Airlines established in 2013]]
[[Category:Airlines disestablished in 2013]]
[[Category:Seaplane operators]]

Kerala Seaplane - Revision history

CleanupBot II at 08:41, 14 August 2023