After UAE gives go-ahead to passengers from India, flights to Dubai, Sharjah resume from Kochi

KOCHI: With the UAE authorities issuing a new travel protocol accepting passengers from India who comply with the prescribed regulations, the Kochi international airport has started flights to the country from this morning. UAE Airlines, Air Arabia and Emirates operated one service each on Thursday.

An Air Arabia flight (G9-426) departed for Sharjah at 3:50 am with 69 passengers on board while Emirates operated a flight (EK 531) to Dubai with 99 passengers, which departed at 10.30 am. S Suhas, managing director of Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL), attributed the smooth and swift commencement of international departures to the “operational efficiency of CIAL and other stakeholders like airlines, customs, immigration and ground handling agencies.”