SpiceJet will recruit 150 pilots and 300 cabin crew to launch the regional airline connecting smaller towns with metro cities in South India shortly. The airline announced its intent to tap the growing regional market with an order for 15 Bombardier Q400 turboprop aircraft — which can accommodate 70-80 people — in December last. It is likely to choose Hyderabad as its base for regional operations in the beginning.
The northern part of the country is well connected and the company will look to focus in the south. It will do destinations that are one to one and-a-half hours from Hyderabad and operations will start from June. The high crude prices have been a worry for the airlines but SpiceJet will be going ahead with its expansion plans.
After SpiceJet announced its intention to go regional, country’s leading airline Jet Airways, too, has strengthened its regional operations. It had recently announced increased connectivity from the south Indian city of Hyderabad.
