Air Kerala, the upcoming Indian ultra-low-cost airline backed by UAE-based investors, has achieved a significant milestone in its journey toward launch, securing its official International Air Transport Association (IATA) airline code: KD.

Harish Kutty, CEO of Air Kerala, confirmed the development and shared the significance of the allocation. “The code ‘KD’ has been assigned to us by IATA and will be officially activated once we receive our Air Operator Certificate (AOC), which we anticipate by the end of June,” he said. “Receiving a two-alphabet IATA code is a privilege, and we are honored by this recognition.”

IATA codes serve as a global identifier for airlines and are crucial for reservations, ticketing, and operations. Airlines typically receive either a two-letter code or a combination of a letter and a number. Well-known examples include Air India (AI) and IndiGo (6E).

For Afi Ahmed, Founder and Chairman of Air Kerala, the airline code carries deeper meaning. “‘KD’ represents the ‘Kerala Dream’—a dream shared by millions of non-resident Keralites in the UAE and the GCC,” he remarked. “It also resonates with routes like ‘Kerala to Dubai’ or ‘Kerala to Doha’. This is more than a code; it’s a symbol of aspiration and connection.”

Air Kerala also recently inaugurated its corporate headquarters in Kochi on April 15. The state-of-the-art facility, located near Aluva Metro Station in Ernakulam, spans three floors and includes advanced training infrastructure. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Kerala Minister of Industries P. Rajeev, Members of Parliament Hibi Eden, Benny Behanan, Haris Beeran, and MLAs Anwar Sadath and Roji M. John.

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With a current team of 69 professionals, Air Kerala plans to expand rapidly. “We aim to scale up to 200 employees by the time of launch and target 1,000 staff members and seven aircraft by year-end,” said Ahmed. “The response from the UAE and GCC-based NRK community has been overwhelmingly positive.”

Air Kerala’s mission is to make air travel more accessible and affordable for the South Indian diaspora, particularly the large expatriate community in the Gulf region. The airline is poised to redefine budget air travel between Kerala and the Middle East with its customer-centric approach and ambitious growth plans.