It'll soon be a cheap fly to the Gulf

New Delhi: Flying low cost to and from the Gulf will soon become a reality.

After Air-India Express and Air Arabia, Kuwait's new budget carrier Jazeera Airways is here with one-way fares as low as Rs 1,300.

The Gulf sector is one of the most lucrative for Indian airline companies.

But with the Government keeping private players out, fares remained high as there were not too many cheap options.

But now, Gulf-based low-cost airlines are changing all that. After Sharjah-based Air Arabia, Kuwati low-cost carrier Jazeera Airways is now connecting Delhi and Mumbai to Kuwait.

Their fares are expected to be as low as Rs 1,300 one way. But the real demand, the airline admits, lies in the South, especially Kerala.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Jazeera Airways, Marwan M Boodai, says, "There is a demand in this area and we will connect it very soon."

Air-India Express, Air-India's low-cost arm, had started flights from Kerala with much fanfare.

But with scarcity of aircraft and shortage of pilots, the operations have been patchy.

The 1,300-seats added by Jazeera Airways per week to India should, therefore, be welcome at least for those flying to Kuwait.