Kerala's first helicopter tourist service from next month

Kochi, Sep 29 (UNI) The first Kerala-based helicopter tourist service will be launched next month, Air Travel Enterprises (ATE) chairman E M Najeeb said today.

Talking to reporters at the Kerala Travel Mart here, Mr Najeeb said that the service is being launched by ATE, a subsidiary of the Great India Tour Company, in collaboration with King Rotors and Air Charter Pvt. Ltd.

Stating that this was the first time a helicopter service was being launched to conduct tours in Kerala, Mr Najeeb said the Thiruvananthapuram-based service will cover a variety of tours like a city tour of Thiruvananthapuram, the backwaters in Alappuzha and Kumarakom and the hill stations of Munnar and Thekkady.

A six-seater helicopter had been acquired for the purpose and depending on the success of the venture, more could be acquired later, King Rotors Managing Director Capt. K N G Nair said.

Mr Najeeb said that a helipad had already been constructed at the Kerala Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) in Thiruvananthapuram and the helicopter service could also be used as an ''air ambulance'' for emergency medical evacuation and disaster rescue operations.

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