Kerala to launch CoAir co‑operative airline, services expected by April 2027

Kerala is preparing to set up its own airline in the co‑operative sector, to operate under the Kerala Civil Aviation Development Co‑operative Society Limited. The project, called “CoAir”, is being driven by C.N. Vijaya Krishnan, chairman of the MVR Cancer Centre and Research Institute in Kozhikode. Registration of the co‑operative society is slated to start, after which an application will be filed to create a public limited company.

The plan calls for chartering two aircraft initially, with routes inside Kerala and to Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Mangaluru, Chennai and Madurai. Equity will be raised from 200 co‑operative societies (about ₹2 crore each) for 55 % of the shareholding, with the remaining shares offered to the public. The state government has pledged full support, and Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu has responded positively. The venture also includes a future aviation institute and provision for helicopters, air‑ambulances and use by emergency services.