KOCHI: Since 2012, three firms –– Maritime Energy Heli Air Services Pvt. Ltd (MEHAIR), Kairali Aviation and Seabird Seaplane Pvt Ltd –– had tried to start seaplane services in Kerala , in a serious way, but none had been successful. Why seaplane services didn’t take off in Kerala? The reason is more political than commercial, says an industry expert who had spent a few years trying to launch it in Kerala.

In December 2013, the inaugural flight of Bengaluru-based Kairali Aviation was unsuccessful, as the waterdrome at Punnamada Lake in Alappuzha was crowded by protesting inland fishermen and the Cessna amphibian was forced to return to Cochin airport.

“I think the political climate then was not conducive because of the agitating fishermen and the opposition taking a stand that it should not be allowed as it would take away the livelihood of the fishermen. I view it as more of a political problem than as an actual commercial issue,” he said.

“If you look at the geography of India, Kerala is among the top three states where seaplane services could thrive –– others being Goa and Maharashtra . When it comes to suitability of seaplane operations, Kerala might in fact be in the number one or two position because it has the right kind of water body –– coastline and inland water body. It also has tourism with big hotels surrounding the water bodies and also in the inland. As the road connectivity is bad, Kerala was the ideal pocket for launching and sustaining a seaplane service,” he said.

This is a new market the aviation in India had been taking up and typically when the project doesn’t take off, it scares other investors in this field for another 10 years, the source said.

