Indian budget carrier Spicejet aims to beef up its regional network – on land and water.
It plans to purchase a fleet of more than 100 seaplanes, airline chief Ajay Singh said.
It has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Japan’s Setouchi Holdings to supply 10-14 seater amphibian planes.
List price for the plane is about $4 million.
It would become the first major airline to operate regular scheduled seaplane services.
"Amphibious planes have the ability to take off and land from places that do not have landing strips and where no runway exists, thus reaching areas where there is no other mode of transport available," SpiceJet said in a statement.
"Reliable, tough and resilient, these smaller fixed-wing aircraft can land on water bodies, gravel and grass."
They would likely be used on routes goverened by the regional air connectivity scheme.
Land to air trials have already been conducted in Nagpur and Guwahati and demonstration flights from water will take place in the future, Go Okazaki, executive MD of Setouchi Holdings said.
