Kochi: Currently, it takes about 3 hours to reach Munnar from Cochin International Airport and roughly 3.5 hours from Ernakulam railway station by road. With the seaplane service under trial, the travel time from Kochi to Munnar could be reduced to under 25 minutes. Currently, tourists travelling to Munnar use the Neriamangalam and Adimali routes, which pass through a 14.1-kilometre stretch of forest area. Due to safety concerns, night travel on these routes is not recommended, and most tourists leave Munnar by noon. These travel restrictions can impact Munnar's tourism, particularly during the off-season. Authorities believe that by significantly reducing travel time, the seaplane service could attract more international tourists to Munnar and nearby regions. Additionally, the service could offer emergency transportation for patients from Munnar, where medical facilities are limited, to Kochi. It would also benefit local communities in nearby villages like Kanthalloor and Marayoor, as per Onmanorama report.The seaplane service has been introduced under the central government's UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagarik) scheme, which seeks to enhance air connectivity to remote and regional areas of India. The initiative also aims to promote air travel for both tourists and locals to visit village tourist spots. A 17-seater seaplane, owned by the Canadian-based dae Havilland company, successfully completed its test flight with the support of SpiceJet.Ticket charges for the Kochi-Munnar seaplane service have not yet been announced, as the service is still in its trial phase. However, based on previous UDAN services, such as the now-defunct Gurugram to Statue of Liberty route, one-way fares are expected to range from Rs 1,500 to Rs 5,000. Tickets will likely be available for purchase on platforms like spiceshuttle.com, along with other websites. Seaplane services operate only during daylight hours, from sunrise to sunset. Passengers are allowed a total luggage weight of 25 kg, with 20 kg as check-in baggage and 5 kg for cabin baggage,Concerns have been raised by the forest department regarding the potential disruption of elephant movement due to the noise from the seaplane. The Mattupetty region is home to ten wild elephants, which frequently visit the Mattupetty dam and surrounding areas to drink water. The sound of the seaplane's propeller could startle the elephants, causing them distress. As a result, the forest department has requested that the authorities, including KSEB, Cochin International Airport, and the tourism department, reconsider the plan to land the seaplane at Mattupetty. Initially, the seaplane was slated to land at Idukki dam but was moved to Mattupetty after the forest department raised concerns.