NAS Air, a subsidiary of the Saudi National Air Services, has announced its low-cost operations between destinations in India and Riyadh, starting with Nedumbassery and Karipur international airports, on April 1. NAS chief commercial officer Maria Aangelika Hanne said in Kochi on Thursday, after signing a general sales agreement with Great India Aviation Services (GIAS), that the airline would initially operate seven services weekly to Nedumbassery and Karipur. The airline, which would be the first low cost carrier to operate flights from India to Saudi Arabia, has also plans to operate services to Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai and New Delhi in India and Pakistan later. GIAS chairman E M Najeeb said a brand new A-320 aircraft with 180 seating capacity would be available to the hitherto neglected sector at competitive but affordable rates. GIAS managing director George Tharakan said the airline carried with it the experience of successfully operating 72 Haj flights from Mumbai and 34 from Karipur during the just-concluded season. The airline would focus on religious passengers and migrants from Kerala and tourists from GCC countries.
