Union Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the Kannur International Airport today making Kerala the only state in India to have four such airports.

As per the reports, The first flight from the airport, an Air India Express flight with 180 passengers to Abu Dhabi, was flagged off by the chief guests. International flights operating from Kannur will include those to the UAE, Oman and Qatar. The airport will also be connected to Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Mumbai.The airport is expected to enhance tourism in Kannur, Kasargode, Wayanad and increase inter-state trade in handloom and spices sector. With this airpot Kerala became the first step with four airpot. The three other international airports in Kerala are in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode.

While the political party BJP is boycotting the inauguration to protest the Kerala government's handling of the Sabarimala issue, the Congress is unhappy over the Pinarayi Vijayan government not inviting former chief minister and senior Congress leader Oomen Chandy. Congress also boycotted the function to protest the exclusion of former CM Oommen Chandy from invitees list and the BJP also kept away protesting the government stand on hill temple Sabarimala.