KOZHIKODE: A trade and business delegation, fuming over discrimination in providing relief to the Calicut International Airport on aviation turbine fuel tax, will meet Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan next week.
They feel that the tax exemption to the newly opened Kannur International Airport, in which the state is the single largest stakeholder, is a blessing in disguise as it brings their demand too to the fore.
The government order had fixed the tax on ATF for all domestic flights at Kannur at 1 per cent for ten years, as it comes under the Regional Connectivity Scheme UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik).
The airport company had signed a tripartite agreement with the central and state governments to operate UDAN flights offering tax rebates and waiver of user charges.
Malabar Development Council president C. E. Chakkunny hopes Mr Vijayan will give a patient hearing to their grievances.
"We have already lost three services to Kannur after the fuel tax cut and will be losing more in the coming days if proper remedial measures evade," he told DC.
"We are not against supporting the Kannur airport, but it should not be at the cost of ailing Karipur airport. It came as a shocker when it was struggling to stabilise after the ban on big aircraft."
