Pilots with Indian carrier SpiceJet could be flying a completely different type of aircraft next year: 10-14 seat seaplanes operating along India’s 7,000km coastline.
SpiceJet is considering a $400m deal to buy 100 Quest Kodiak seaplanes. The budget carrier recently conducted the second phase of the seaplane trials at the Girgaum Chowpatty, Mumbai.
Seaplanes offer the potential to connect places which cannot other access air travel, not onlyalong the coast but also using inland waterways.
“Our seaplane service will open a whole new market for both the airline and tourism industry and will revolutionise the regional connectivity scheme,” said a spokesman,
Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, regions in the North East, Andamans, Lakshadweep and other coastal areas are a few destinations that are being evaluated for amphibious plane operations, the airline said.