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IndiGo to hire 1,500 people this year

March 02, 2011 16:06 IST
Low-cost carrier IndiGo on Wednesday said it plans to hire up to 1,500 people this year to support its major expansion drive.

"IndiGo will hire 1,200-1,500 people in the calendar year 2011, of which 400-500 would be cabin crew staff, 200-300 pilots, besides some engineers and ground staff," IndiGo President Aditya Ghosh told PTI.

At present, IndiGo has about 3,400 employees and by the end of this year the number is expected to go up to 4,500-5,000. In January this year, the no-frill carrier made news by announcing acquisition of 180 A-320s, worth an estimated $15.6 billion, from European plane manufacturer Airbus - the single largest aircraft deal in global aviation history. This is the second time IndiGo has placed such a massive aircraft order.

The company had first entered into an agreement with Airbus in 2005, to buy 100 A-320s worth $6 billion.

On being asked about the order delivery, Ghosh said, "One hundred aircrafts from the the earlier order (2005) would be delivered by 2015. The delivery process of the 180 new planes would start thereafter and is expected to be completed by 2024."

The airline has already sought government's permission to launch global operations from the middle of this year, when it will also be completing five years of domestic service. Ghosh had earlier stated the global operations would be launched to several destinations in West Asia, besides Bangkok, Singapore, Kathmandu and the Maldives.

He added, "This month, we will be beginning services to Raipur from three destinations -- Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad -- and in the second half of next month we will commence services to Indore."

Regarding the Budget proposal of raise in service tax on air travel, he said it would not have any impact on Indigo's hiring plans. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had proposed raising the service tax on air travel by Rs 50 to Rs 150 in the case of domestic air travel, and by Rs 250 to Rs 750 on overseas journey in economy class.

IndiGo recently tipped Air India for the third position in domestic market share, after Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines, respectively.

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