Seaplane arrives in Kochi backwaters for demo flight to Mattupetty Dam
The Hindu
Exciting debut of seaplane service in Kochi boosts tourism and connectivity, offering scenic flights over Kerala's landscapes.
Hundreds of people thronged the Marine Drive and the first Goshree bridge on Sunday (November 10) evening to get a view of a seaplane touch down in the backwaters abutting the Kochi International Marina.
For a change, the marina beside the KTDC-run Bolgatty Palace and Island Resort, where seafarers arrive in yachts from around the world, transformed into a ‘waterdrome’ as amphibious ‘de Havilland Canada’ aircraft landed. Operated by a Switzerland-based firm in partnership with SpiceJet, it arrived after trial flights in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
On Monday morning, the seaplane will conduct a 20-minute demo flight from Kochi to the Maattupetty Dam in Munnar, flagged off by Public Works and Tourism Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas. Earlier, the twin-engine seaplane, valued at over ₹60 crore, touched down at the Kochi airport from Vijayawada, where it received a water salute. Tourism Secretary K. Biju, Aviation Secretary Biju Prabhakar, Ernakulam District Collector N.S.K. Umesh, and tourism stakeholders welcomed the aircraft and its crew, with Canadian pilots Daniel Montgomery and Rodger Brindger operating the flight.
The Tourism Secretary said that the seaplane service would boost tourism by fostering new enterprises and creating job opportunities allowing holidaymakers to explore more destinations quickly. He added that the project would significantly cut travel time from the four international airports to the hinterland.
Official sources said that visitors could experience Kerala’s scenic landscapes and serene waterways from above on the seaplane introduced under the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS)-UDAN. The initiative aimed to enhance connectivity between the State’s four airports and backwaters at subsidised fares on small aircraft with seating capacities of 9, 15, 17, 20, and 30. Passengers could board these planes from floating waterdromes, they added.
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